Two Makes Five
by xXTailoredDreamsXx
Summary: -Sequel to TMT- Bella and Edward have adjusted well to their new life as a family of 5, but they're about to learn once again, that a life worth living, is truly never easy. Will their relationship be able to withstand all their new obstacles after questionable opportunities and outside influences penetrate their seemingly perfect life? Or will the turbulence knock them off course?
1. Life Is Good

**Disclaimer: Twilight and its characters belong to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended with the posting of this story. Stalker, his Care Bear, Princess Bree, and the twins belong to me though. Please respect. **

**A/N: Wow! Were back! I never thought this day would come, but here we are ready for a new adventure with this family of five. Before starting out you may want to re-visit Stella's blog, Care Bears Sketch Book, for a quick review of all the happenings from Two Makes Three... all the happy happenings anyways, haha. You can find a link under all the TMT stuff on my profile. This will probably be the longest chapter of this story as I have made it my mission to write shorter chapters to keep my beta's and myself sane. I should share that for the first month or so my updates will be sporadic. I'm currently 8.5 weeks preggo with my first baby (1 baby, not twins, and yes I know who the daddy is, thank Jebus, lol). The first trimester is kicking my butt but I vow to do my very best to update as quickly as possible. So thats my own RL exciting news. I'll stop rambling now so we can get started. One last thing though, I decided to tweak a few things from my original outline for this plot, so if I talked to you after the completion of TMT, don't be surprised to see some minor changes. Sometimes writing takes you in a different direction than you originally set out on. **

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><p><strong>Life Is Good <strong>

**Chapter 1**

**~~*Bella*~~**

I could hear Bree singing at the top of her lungs from the family room and the sound had me smiling before I'd even opened my eyes. I'd missed the little princess so much. To have her home again with us was the best feeling in the world. She had only just returned the previous night after spending the summer with Jane and Tanya in India, and hearing her elated voice first thing in the morning definitely helped me feel complete again.

It helped me realize just how much I had truly missed her. So because of that, I didn't even mind the fact that the sun had yet to rise.

I stirred in our bed, drawing my legs up to my chest to hug them to my body, then stretched them back out with a light squeal. "Finally. I've been watching you sleep for the last hour waiting for an opportunity to kiss my Sleeping Beauty awake," Edward's smooth voice whispered into my ear before his lips met mine with rampant hunger. His hand lingered across my cheekbone and continued down my neck before stopping over my left breast where his finger tips tweaked at my erect nipple taunting me.

"Mmmm, this is a nice way to start the day, _Stalker_. Having your lips _and_ hands on me first thing in the morning. And with a serving of cheese too? What ever did I do to deserve this?"

He still loved it when I used his nickname, so I still used it on a daily basis whenever we'd find ourselves alone. Which truthfully, I had to admit, was not very often these days.

So much had changed, but still so much had stayed exactly the same. I couldn't even believe that we would already be celebrating Aidan and Madison's second birthday tomorrow afternoon with all of our friends and family.

Where those first two years had gone? I had no idea. It was as though I'd blinked my eyes and they were suddenly walking, then talking in complete sentences. Well Madison was forming sentences. Aidan still preferred to act rather than ask most of the time. I was lucky if I'd receive a simple finger point from him before he'd start climbing on top of the table, shelves, or counter top to retrieve something he wanted. According to Edward it was all a part of being a boy. That man spoiled that boy though, and in return you could see just how much that boy loved his daddy just by his smile when ever Edward would enter the room.

"What time is it?"

"Just after seven thirty. She let you sleep in for half an hour before she turned on the Disney Channel. You know once that happens she just can't contain herself," he toyed, between the kisses he was currently raining down my neck.

"Aw, that was sweet of her to wait a little while." I smiled feeling the familiar goose bumps take over my body courtesy of his touch then tugged his hair to bring his mouth back up to mine. "You're going to have to wait till after we've gotten Bree and the twins to your mom's. I should be able to squeeze you in for some one-on-one time later tonight," I teased him then bit at his ear playfully. He growled, clearly frustrated, but the knock at our door instantly changed his disappointed expression into a truer grin. I slipped on my robe and threw my husband a wink before opening the bedroom door for Bree.

"Good morning, Momma Bella. It's time for breakfast," Bree announced and I nodded with delight to have my morning ritual return with Bree and I in the kitchen that overlooked the ocean while we'd cook together. California had truly grown on me and it was definitely my home away from home now. It helped that we had a family routine to spend the last week of every month at our other home in the big city that still meant so much to me. Although this year that tradition would change slightly. Bree would be going to a regular school, to attend the first grade, mainstreamed with typical children her age. Because of that we would have to cut down our week long trip to a weekend trip, but to me, for Bree, it would be worth it.

I was excited to start the day because we had so many guests that would be arriving in just a few hours to help us celebrate the twins' birthday. Charlie, Emmett, Sam, Jake, and Leah would all be coming in on the same flight and staying here at the house for the next four days.

Well Charlie would be staying with us when he wasn't staying over Esme's.

When and how that relationship had started, I couldn't say, and truthfully I didn't need the details. All I knew was that since it had started I'd been receiving lots of extra visits from my dad and I didn't mind it one bit. Plus, it helped that I'd already promised myself I would ignore any and all discomfort that might come along with having your biological father date your husband's mother.

I'd joked with Alice that Edward had already celebrated the fact that his mother was finally dating a man her own age again, so how could I possibly take that joy away from him?

Truthfully though, it was nice to see Charlie happy and the same went for Esme. If anyone could understand the randomness that came along with falling in love, it was Edward and me.

Tomorrow would be the first time we would all be together since my art show right after the birth of the twins. My big coming out party where everything seemed to finally click and we were all able to finally breathe again.

At times it seemed insane to me how much things could stay the same but also change so very much. Looking back at the last two years of my life… watching our children grow, seeing Bree transform right before our eyes, and falling further and further in love with Edward, I knew that _I_ had been the one who had changed the most.

I'd gone from being a routine driven, broken-hearted, family-less, bartender in a great big city that I loved more than anything including myself, to being the mom of three amazing children, a wife, and a professional artist with a father I'd never known having been right under my nose the entire time… oh, and I was now a Californian.

It had been an emotionally twisted few years. That was for certain.

Strangely enough, my opportunity to become a professional artist came when Jake cut me my first big break by using some of my drawings for his band's first album. Loved Spelled Backwards Is Love was also rumored to be up for several Grammys this year. Their success had definitely brought me my own success, as ironic as it was. Since the drop of their album, I'd freelanced three more jobs with various musicians and bands who had come to me with ideas for their own cover art.

Once in the kitchen I pulled Bree's stool out from under the sink and placed it beside the counter to set up her work space. She didn't miss a beat and was already standing at the top of it with her hands on her hips within seconds.

"What will we make today, Momma Bella?"

"Daddy's favorite. Pancakes," I easily answered smoothing her hair back while I smiled down at her grinning, yet guarded expression. Bree had grown up so much over the summer. I could hardly believe it when we'd picked her up at the airport. I'd already promised her we would celebrate her Very Merry Unbirthday with the twins' birthdays this weekend since hers was still a few months away. I knew it would make tomorrow a little more enjoyable for her, and I was all for making that that little girl smile.

"Funny face cakes? _Yes_. Please and thank you," Bree prompted. Even at six years old I still had to tread carefully with some things in order to avoid an emotional melt down, so I'd been prepared for her chocolate chip demand a head of time.

"Pft! What other kind of pancakes are there honey bunny? Blasphemy to think we would make any other!" I replied, grinning. I ticked her sides playfully to elicit a smile from her otherwise blank face. When it worked I felt my heart swell with love over the sight of it.

She continued to grin for a few seconds longer, then briskly smoothed her dress down in front of her and got to work on opening the box of mix I'd set down in front of her. She was a natural in here. It was one of Bree's many gifts. In the last year we'd learned that not only could she answer the most random Disney trivia question, and at times predict the future in an eerily way, but she could also play the piano almost as well as her father, read at a seventh grade reading level, and cook a full meal with minimal instruction when all the ingredients were set up for her. On top of all of that, she'd become quite the little abstract artist, and that gift was probably one of my favorites.

She'd literally grown up right in front of our eyes and at times she seemed far too mature and in tuned to her surroundings for a six year old. Especially for a six year old who was diagnosed with Autism at the age of two.

"I like to be home again. I missed the babies. Babies are better than elephants."

I laughed and turned to retrieve the eggs from the fridge then placed them beside Bree's bowl, "They missed you too. I missed you! You were all your daddy talked about!" I promised her, because it was mostly the truth. Of course Edward talked about a few other things, but for the most part, Bree was a constant topic in our conversations while she'd been away.

"I know that, silly Momma Bella. Can I go get the babies up now? Say yes."

"Let's finish the pancakes and we can go get them together. Deal?" I asked while she continued to stir her mix in front of her after I had cracked the eggs for her and she'd added the rest of the ingredients.

"Double-the-deal!" She exclaimed with a care free giggle and blew an impulsive kiss into the air two times. Something she'd started doing last year whenever we would talk about the twins. She'd become an amazing big sister for a little girl who was diagnosed with a disorder that should have crippled her socially.

"And how are two of my favorite girls doing this morning?" Edward asked sweeping his way into the kitchen to slap my ass playfully then lean in to kiss Bree on the cheek.

"Daddy you promised we would stop at the park before going to Fairy Grandmothers," Bree affirmed without even looking towards her father.

"What was that Bree? I couldn't hear you because you weren't looking at me," Edward promoted, just like Bree's therapist had told him to do when ever she avoided eye contact. That was one of her behaviors that we'd felt had slowly been getting worse, so Edward was very focused on turning that around.

"Oh. Sorry, Daddy." Bree stopped turning her spoon in the mixing bowl and turned her head up to look her father in the eyes then asked him again if they could stop at the park before we dropped them off at Esme's for their sleepover. She had offered to watch the kids for us so we'd have some adult time with our friends who would be flying in later this afternoon. Edward and I had both jumped at the opportunity.

"Yes, baby. We will stop at the park." Edward shot me a wink and I smiled in return loving the sight of their exchange.

_Christ, I love my life._

As if on cue I heard two little voices come over the baby monitor on the counter top causing Bree to squeal in delight.

"They're awake! The babies are awake!" She exclaimed dropping her spoon into the bowl with a splash and instantly jumping down from the stool to spin around the room spastically.

…And then there were moments when Bree still acted like the four year old I'd instantly fallen in love with that day at the park almost three years ago when Edward had first introduced me to her. I had to smile at her excitement. It was ridiculously contagious and something I absolutely adored.

"Can you finish up for us?" I asked Edward, who was already nodding and smiling in my direction before I'd even turned to look at him, giving him the eye contact I knew he'd crave.

"Go get 'em momma." I leaned in and kissed his lips as I passed him the spatula then draped my apron around his neck to turn him around in front of me so I could tie a perfect bow, just above his perfect ass. I pinched it playfully then kissed his cheek one more time before following Bree out of the kitchen to the other side of the house where the twins' nursery was located.

My oldest daughter was already pushing the door open before I was even ten feet behind her. After hearing her greet her brother and sister good morning I again felt my heart soar with happiness. It had been a ridiculously long summer without Bree's tiny voice filling the house.

I smiled walking to Madison's crib where she was already extending her arms out to me. "Morning Mommy. Juice-juice, please?"

"How about milk first, Maddie? And some funny face pan-a-cakes Sissy B helped make?"

Sissy B was the nickname the twins had bestowed upon Bree just a few months ago. Usually Aidan would just call her B or Issy, but Bree definitely preferred the Sissy part to be added and it always made me smirk when I'd hear her try to correct her little brother who had a hard enough time pressing his lips together for the first part of her name.

"Brown milk, please?" That was Madison's way of asking for chocolate milk.

"No, baby. Plain milk first." I laughed and kissed her forehead then brushed back her auburn curls behind her ears, before dropping the rail so I'd be able to lift her up from her bed. I sat her down knowing she'd keep herself occupied with her toys in the corner of the room while I tended to her brother first. Aidan was a little less independent when it came to constructive purposeful play, so we'd definitely developed our own morning ritual when it came to starting our day with the twins.

"Good morning, my love," I cooed reaching down to lift my son up to hug him in my arms. He smiled and touched my face with his tiny hands while his eyes beaming into mine.

Yeah, he looked at me with amazing amounts of love too, just like he did with his daddy. So much love that I sometimes felt as though he were silently speaking to me.

"Ilk-and-akes?" he asked, his hands still cupping my face. I nuzzled my nose to his and nodded my head.

"Yes my prince, milk and cakes. Pancakes!" I informed him then lightly kissed his forehead before carrying him to the changing table to remove his soiled diaper. Madison had caught on to the whole potty training business right away last week. Aidan on the other hand, not so much.

Once I'd changed both the twins into their day time clothes I sent them off a head of me with Bree holding their hands to find Edward in the kitchen after he'd shouted that our meal was ready and waiting for us.

I smiled to my self watching them run out of the room. Madison dragging her purple torn-up blanky behind her in her freed hand.

My life was a story book, and at times I felt like I was still living a fairy tale. I'd never understand how I'd been so lucky. All I knew was that I was living a life that three years ago I never thought possible. I was the happiest woman, wife, and mother on the planet and it was Edward who had given it all to me without ever questioning if it would be worth it, even when life was determined to knock us on our asses.

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><p>After dropping the kids off at Esme's, Edward and I went straight to the airport to pick everyone up who was flying in from the city. I was excited to see Jake again, and Leah. The last time we'd gotten together Jake had filled me in on a little secret and I was dying to find out if he'd finally made his move because he refused to tell me over the phone last week when we were finalizing all the plans for their trip.<p>

"I can't even believe they're turning two tomorrow. Where has the time gone, Bella?" Edward questioned squeezing my hand from where it was resting over his thigh in front of the steering wheel.

I smiled and let out a loud over exaggerated sigh before answering him. It was nice to know I wasn't the only one who still found it unbelievable that our babies were now officially toddlers. "I know, it's insane. I want them to stay tiny forever." I pouted with another huff.

"You know we could always try for another. They'll be out of their diapers soon enough. This time we could actually prepare and plan for it."

"Edward Cullen, you are not suggesting we have another child already! I just started to potty train them. Aidan is far from mastering it. I can't even think about having another one already," I told him feeling absolutely shocked that he would suggest such a thing. It was easier for him to ignore all the reasons regarding why it would be a terrible decision because he was at work eight to ten hours a day, five sometimes six days a week. When he came home we ate dinner and put the kids to bed then had our grown up time. For him it was a perfectly ideal life twenty-four-seven.

He missed all the tantrums, all the chaotic messes, the silly fights, spilt drinks, bumped heads and soiled clothes. I loved him more than I loved myself but sometimes his inability to see the big picture when it came to raising two years old twins and a six year old made me wonder where his logic came from.

"It was just a suggestion. I didn't mean tomorrow, _Care Bear_." I smiled hearing my own nickname and turned to grin in his direction feeling my defenses weaken instantly.

"_Someday_ we can try for another. I promise. But I doubt that day will come anytime _this_ year," I told him with a reassuring smirk then squeezed his knee with my hand just as he pulled the car into a parking space in the airport's garage.

"I'm sorry… I know it's a lot harder on you, even though you make it look incredibly easy. We just make such pretty and amazing babies. I can't wait to add another one to the clan."

I laughed at him and pulled his face down to mine for a kiss before pushing my door open to remove myself from the car. I knew he wanted more children. This wasn't the first time he'd hinted at that, but I was determined to get at least one full year in without dirty diapers and bottles being a part of my daily routine.

When we got to the luggage claim where we'd agreed to meet everyone I could feel my excitement triple. Leah and I had become really close over the last two months when she'd discovered that she and Jake were expecting their own baby. Since then we'd been corresponding like crazy via email and text messages. I couldn't believe Jake was actually going to be a dad, and apparently neither could he, so we'd shared a few motivating, 'you can do it', emails too over the last few weeks. I couldn't wait to congratulate them in person and to give Leah the stack of baby books I had collected during my own pregnancy.

"There they are!" I squealed with delight seeing them make their way down the escalator. Charlie and Emmett were hanging behind, but both Jake, Leah, and Sam looked about ready to flee the building. None of them had ever been very good flyers so when they'd first told me they would be coming out for the party I'd just about died. Truthfully though both Jake and Sam needed to get used to it seeing how they had a European tour planned for the fall.

I ran to greet Leah first, giving her a quick hug and kiss to her cheek, then patted her belly with a soft hello to her baby before turning to face Jake. "Hey future daddy! Long time no see," I teased my ex who was now holding me firmly against him. Every time we'd been back to the city over the last few months Jake had been out of town on tour with the band so this was a reunion of sorts for us too, "It's amazing to see you again, Bella. You look great. Seriously great," he replied quietly beside my ear. I smiled and increased my grasp around him, then patted his back signaling it was time to release me.

These initial hugs with Jake were still always a little intense, and sometimes awkward. It was just one of those few things that would never ever change between us, but I'd gotten more and more comfortable with that fact over the last two years, and so had Edward, thankfully.

I gave Paul a quick hug then ran over to give my dad his own greeting. "Hey, Papa Char Char!" I sang, using the name the twins always used whenever we'd spend time with my one time boss-now father.

"Hey, Bells. You look amazing. It's crazy to see you with a tan. You really are turning into a California girl, aren't you?" Charlie chuckled lightly.

"It was the summer, and the babies love to be down by the water. I didn't have a choice, I swear I'm not trying to look all Jersey Shore," I told Charlie creating a small smile on his face. He hugged me again, this time lifting my feet up off the ground, then set me back down so I could say hi to Emmett who was already deep in conversation with Edward off to the side.

They were no doubt discussing work.

"Em!"

"Mystery Girl!" I laughed, not having heard that reference in quite some time and hugged Edward's best friend who instantly picked me back up off the ground to spin me around the corridor.

"Seriously Edward, are you feeding her? She's a frigin feather," he teased before placing me back on my feet.

"Shut your face. Who has time to eat when they have two year old twins to chase around?" I shot back crossing my arms in front of me while narrowing my eyes at him.

"Hey, they're not two _yet_!" Emmett boomed with a wag of his finger.

"Thank you. You're absolutely right. My babies are still babies for at least a few more hours. Now let's get your stuff and get back to the car so we can get to the house. Charlie, are we taking you straight to Esme's or can you come to the house for a quick drink?" I asked eyeing him with a hidden grin.

His face turned bright red almost instantly. I secretly loved seeing him so smitten over the sound of someone's name. I knew that feeling well because it still happened to me on a daily basis with Edward's name whenever he was away from me.

"I told her I'd be there around seven tonight to help with the kids. So I'm all yours till then, Bells," he answered bashfully. I nodded my head and took Edward's hand to follow everyone over to the carousel where the luggage was already going around.

That's when I noticed it.

"Oh my GOD, LEAH!" I exclaimed then ran to grab her left hand to examine the ring she was wearing on her ring finger. "You did it Jake! Ah! Congratulations, you guys! There's so much to celebrate tonight. I'm so happy for you! Gorgeous ring, Jake! Seriously, nice job."

"Wow. Congrats, man. That's really awesome," Edward joined in giving Jake a slap to his shoulder with his opened hand.

"I asked her last night after dinner. Took your advice, Bells. Just laid it all out there for her. After that there was no way she could say no," Jake answered smiling bashfully without actually looking at me.

"Like I would have ever said no. I'm having your baby, you dork!" Leah laughed then leaned in to place a kiss to Jake's cheek causing his face to flush even further.

"Jesus! All y'all need to _STOP_ having babies and getting married. Rose is starting to get all these crazy ideas, and you're not helping one bit, Black!" Emmett announced making us all laugh again. It was so nice to be back with everyone. The only three people missing were Rose, Alice and Jasper, but they would be at the house later tonight once Rose and Alice were done shooting for the day.

I smiled to myself glancing at Jake and Leah sharing a quiet conversation off to the side of the group, staring lovingly into each other's eyes while he tucked a strand of her hair back behind her ear. It was so good to see him happy… so in love and enthralled by someone who obviously felt the same way about him. He was finally getting everything I'd hoped he would one day find, and because of that it made the ugly history we shared finally disappear completely.

While some things had stayed the same, there were definitely some things that had become very, very different. That was the beauty in growing up. With age came memories and heartache, but the good memories would always surpass the bad. That was all that mattered, and we'd definitely learned that lesson. Even when it seemed as though nothing would ever be right again.

We'd proven everyone wrong and found a way to make it all work.

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><p>It was just after nine o clock when Alice showed up with Jasper and Rose. I'd become extremely spoiled living a few houses down from my best friend. It had definitely made the transition a lot easier when we'd decided to make California our full time home.<p>

I'd just hung up with Esme to check on the kids. I wanted to make sure they hadn't given her a hard time because lately Aidan had turned into a nightmare when it came to bedtime but she insisted it had gone rather smoothly. I could tell she was fibbing, but it was pointless to try and pull the truth out of her. She'd never say anything negative about any of her grandchildren. Not ever. She'd definitely turned herself around in the grandmother department as soon as she'd returned to L.A. and that fact impressed Edward more and more with every passing day.

"Ali!" Jake shouted running to my friend to greet her at the door. I let them hug and laugh for a moment then quickly told Alice and Rose to go check out Leah's new accessory.

"No way! Holy shit! Congrats! That's fabulous news. A baby and a wedding. Talk about deja'vu," Rose joked causing everyone to go quiet for a split second before a wave of nervous laughter rolled across the room.

"Yeah, except we're _not_ having twins," Jake spoke up with a smile then pulled Leah in under his arm, letting everyone know he felt completely comfortable with the slightly awkward statement.

After that we all made our way back outside to the porch where I'd set up a mini bar station complete with snacks for everyone to munch on. "Leah, I got you some sparkling apple cider," I informed Jake's fiancé with a wink. She smiled and thanked me with a grin before asking me where the bathroom was. Alice offered to show her the way for me and Leah gladly accepted then followed my best friend back into the house leaving me alone with Jake at the countertop.

"So Edward… how's work?" Jake asked loudly while he made himself a scotch and gin beside me. I couldn't help but grin at the sight of him mixing his familiar drink then dropped two green olives into his glass for him. He looked up seemingly surprised then thanked me with a smile of his eyes. I nodded my head in return and offered a quick wink before making my way towards Edward to take a seat in his lap on the lounge chair across the deck.

"Work is good. Busy but _really_ good. I've got to be on set with Victoria in the morning before the twins' party so it will be an early night for me I'm afraid." Everyone booed in unison and I forced a laugh informing them that I concurred with their feelings. The sound of Victoria's name had already caused my body to tense up. Thankfully Edward quickly ran his free hand up and down my arm to help relax me again.

"She's doing that Spielberg movie right?" Sam asked seemingly interested. Sam had always been big into blockbuster movies. Once he got over his distaste for my husband he and Edward had become good buddies, spending hours upon hours talking about the movie industry, and everything that went along with it.

"Yeah, it's a post apocalyptic film. Should be out next summer," Edward told them then took a swig from his beer bottle and placed it on the ground so his arms would be free to hold me against him. He kissed my neck and I giggled before turning to face him so his lips could meet mine, knowing full well that's what he wanted the most.

"You two are still too effing cute for a married couple with three kids." Rose snickered. "See Em, romance doesn't _have_ to end with a ring and children!"

Everyone laughed again and I found myself smiling into Edward's eyes while he beamed down looking into mine longingly. I knew that look. He couldn't wait to go to bed. Our friends would be in the separate guest house behind the main house, and the kids would be with Esme and Charlie. We would be virtually alone, in our home, in our bed, at night, for the first time in months. I had to admit, my panties were wet just thinking about it.

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><p>At around eleven thirty Edward said goodnight to everyone and excused himself, citing that he had to be up in four hours to be at the movie studio with Victoria. I couldn't help but cringe once again at the sound of her name. She still irked me beyond belief, but in the two years and ten months that Edward and I had been together I'd gotten more and more used to the idea that she would have to be a part of his life, thus a part of mine.<p>

"I think I'm going to head to bed too, I'm exhausted. Back where we live it's almost three in the morning," Leah pointed out then yawned carelessly.

"Aw babe, I'm sorry we kept you up. I wasn't even thinking about that!" I declared standing up to give her a quick hug. "Thanks so much for hanging out. Sleep tight. I'll see you in the morning. I'm going to need your help with the cupcakes!" I told her then gave her one last hug before congratulating her again on everything.

"Thanks Bella. You've really been great. See you in the morning." She replied then smiled lightly before making her way towards Jake. I watched her whisper something into his ear and place a quick kiss to his cheek and felt my own grin double once again over the sight of their obvious happiness.

"We should actually head out too," Rose casually suggested then pulled on Emmett's arm gently letting him know she meant it.

"What…is it something I said?" I joked watching everyone at once stand up to say goodnight.

"You have a long day tomorrow, Mrs. Cullen. You should also be getting to bed," Alice reminded me with a quick tight hug. I nodded my head and kissed her cheek then made my rounds to say goodnight to everyone else. Emmett decided to stay at Rose's which was no shocker but I still teased him relentlessly while I followed them out to their cars.

"Better be careful, Em. Hope you brought some protection. Rose seems to be tapping on that biological clock of hers," I taunted him in his ear, earning me a tickle to my sides.

"Shut it, Swan," he warned with a hidden smirk. I laughed and shot him a wink then gave them all one last wave goodbye from the car port. When I got back inside I was surprised to find Jake all alone on the patio with a fresh drink in his hand.

"I thought we were going to bed?" I questioned with an easy smile.

"One more for the road. Sit down with me? I feel like we haven't talked in forever," he prompted, patting the spot beside him on the porch swing.

I smiled and nodded, grabbing my half empty glass from the counter top to finish it off while we played catch up. "I'm really proud of you, Jake. Leah is amazing. You guys are going to be great parents and you'll be a phenomenal rock star husband," I told him still smiling, then bumped his shoulder with my own.

"Funny how much has changed over these last few years huh?"

I laughed at his statement and nodded my head. "I've been thinking about that a lot today too," I admitted with a smirk then tilted my glass back at my lips. "Only some things, though. There's still a lot that feels exactly the same," I added with a blissful sigh.

"You and Edward still look really happy."

"We are really happy. Life is good," I confirmed then glanced at him out of the corner of my eye feeling a little guarded all of the sudden.

"I hope Leah and I will have it that easy," he shared with a blank expression. I gave his shoulder a quick jab and firmly told him nothing in life was supposed to be easy and if it ever was then it wouldn't be worth it.

"We work hard, Jake. I don't want you to think it's always sunshine and rainbows. You shouldn't think that way or you'll be setting yourself up for disappointment. You both love each other, and as long as you have that, it's all you'll need," I quietly told him, then rested my head on his shoulder and took his hand from his knee to squeeze it between my fingers. "I really like Leah. She's an incredible woman."

"She likes you too. You've really helped calm her nerves over these last few weeks while I was away. It sucks she had to find out she was pregnant while I was on tour."

"All a part of being in love with a rock star I suppose," I teased theatrically, forcing him to let out a sarcastic laugh.

"Funny, Bells. Seriously though, thanks for all that. She needed someone and you were there for her."

"Don't mention it," I insisted then took the last sip from my drink and stood up making the swing sway underneath him after my departure.

"It's really nice to see you happy, Jake. It's all I ever wanted for you," I told him softly, after turning around to look him in the eyes again. He smiled and nodded in response before looking out towards the waves that were crashing on the beach shore.

"Who'd a thought it was possible, huh? For us both to have it all and still have each other," he asked grinning and drowning the last of his drink in one final gulp.

I smiled, thinking over my response then shook my head. "I'll see you in the morning, Jake."

"Night, Bells."

I took in a deep breath after going inside and released it slowly from between my grinning lips. It felt so good to be able to have it all. To have everything I'd ever dreamed of having without ever having to say goodbye completely to my past. The feelings of bliss and happiness were almost too much to handle and I was now feeling wide awake because of it all.

I knew just the person who could help me with my sudden burst of energy.

When I finally got to the bedroom the curtains were closed and Edward was already sound asleep under the comforter. I hated waking him, but he'd made me promise that I would. Plus, I was craving him more than ever and in desperate need of some _star gazing_, otherwise I'd be off all day tomorrow at the party. It had already been three days since the last time I'd been able to scream his name quietly into my pillow, and I was absolutely giddy over the idea of getting to do it as loudly as I wanted to tonight with an empty house.

I went into the bathroom to freshen up then slipped into one of Edward's favorite black and red lingerie outfits he had purchased for me just last month. I had to smile at my reflection in the mirror. I knew he'd be pleased and the thought already had my nipples pushing through the lacy fabric of my barely there outfit.

I was surprised to see him smiling at me from the bed when I'd opened the door, allowing some of the light from the bathroom to cascade across the room from behind me.

"Oh, good. I woke you." I flipped the light switch off to darken the room again and slowly began my walk to the bed.

"That's not going to work. I want to see _all_ of you tonight, my Bella." I smiled at his words and let out a sarcastic sigh.

"Well, if that's what you _need_, Stalker." I leaned over, purposely sticking my ass out a little farther than I needed to as I moved my exposed body across him to turn the switch on the lamp beside his side of the bed. He swiftly took the hint and slapped my bottom with purpose, releasing an animalistic grunt with his motion. His finger traced the small red heart on my backside and he lowered his lips to kiss the area he had so sensually smacked and lowly apologized. He obviously thought it had hurt me but truthfully it had set my entire body ablaze and made me crave him even more.

"I'm a little amped for tonight. Can you tell?" He joked then slowly turned me around to cradle me in his lap.

"Edward, I've been dying for this moment to arrive _all_ week," I admitted, creating another hungry growl from his lips before he pressed his partially opened mouth to mine, allowing his need to take him over completely. Before I knew it he was flipping me over to hover himself over my body while his fingertips traced the cleavage my black and red lace teddy had helped highlight for his viewing pleasure.

"You're unbelievable, Bella. Thank you for getting dressed up for me, but I hope you won't mind me removing all of this from you already. I much prefer the sight of your naked body."

"Part of the fun is having you undress me, silly." I toyed running my hand through his hair while he rained warm kisses across my chest and back up my neck before taking my ear lobe between his teeth. "It's been so long since we've had the house to ourselves." I moaned feeling his cock grind into my side while he pushed himself firmly against me.

"Perhaps we should talk to my mom about making this a monthly tradition."

"I think that's a delicious idea." I moaned some more, tugging on his hair to bring his lips back up to mine. His own hand slid across my cheek bone raising my chin so he could attack my neck more sensually and I loved everything about it. His touch, his words, his body, his kisses. Him.

I loved all of it- more and more with every day and every moment that passed us by. He was my everything as I was his, and when we were together, like this, it was as if the entire world around us would disappear.

His fingers quickly found their way to the hooks at the front of my imprisoning garment. He wasted no time to unfasten them then tossed the article of clothing across the room. I watched as he moved himself up and away from me to stand on his knees, scanning my partially naked body before him. Our eyes met and remained locked as he placed his hands at my hips, then slowly but with delicate ease, he moved his palms up my waist and across my breast squeezing them together with his needing hands several times before collapsing back on top of me to take my lips to his once again. I kissed him with every ounce of passion and admiration I had flowing through me. The life we had created together was that of a fairy tale, he was my prince charming and this was our kingdom.

_And your cheese is outshining his this evening, Mrs. Cullen. Nice! Now focus!_

"I love you so much, Edward." I whimpered while his hands pushed my panties down past my ankles.

"I love you too, baby. So very much," he promised me holding my face between his hands to look deeply into my eyes. I smiled watching him doff his own boxer shorts and smirked at the sight of his beautiful cock before taking it between my hands. I groaned feeling his massiveness while I circled my fingers around him, slowly pulsing his perfection several times before he could move his body down further between my legs. "I'm so unbelievably thirsty for you. I've been craving to taste you on my lips all night," he whispered raising my legs up above his shoulders, then blew tiny breaths of air across my quivering lady parts. He instantly began lapping my excitement with his tongue with absolute precision before pressing his entire mouth to the delicate lips between my legs. "So fucking delicious. Better than apple fucking pie," he moaned with fervor and lust obviously taking over his every action. I latched onto his hair and pulled his face further against my throbbing clit already moaning louder than I'd been allowed to do for the last few weeks.

"Jesus Christ, Edward! It-feels-so-fucking-good. Please don't stop," I begged watching him work with speed and diligence. I noticed the grin creep across his own lips over my words and it made me giggle for a moment before I again lost myself to pure ecstasy over the feel of his teeth on my clit mixed with the feeling of him sliding two of his fingers in and out, past my wet entrance. "Edward, wait… you're going to make me come. I'm not ready," I warned him, frantically changing my demands. I needed this to last much longer. If he wanted to, I'd allow him to fuck me till the sun came up, but I knew he had an important meeting in the morning, so I couldn't be selfish.

"Turn over," he prompted, lust dripping from his tone while he moved himself back up onto his knees. I grinned and raised my body up then turned myself around so I'd be in front of him on all fours. A new favorite position of ours. He slapped my ass hard two times and I called out his name once again feeling the overwhelming need for him take over my body completely. I needed to feel his cock inside me, I needed to feel all of him take me and make me forget who I was and where we were. I turned my head to smile into his eyes and felt his finger tips run across the skin of my back and across my shoulders before they got lost in my hair to gently tug my head back. He leaned forward to take my lips against his once more. I could taste myself on him, creating a fresh hungry moan between my parted mouth.

"I love that you love the taste of yourself, baby. So fucking sexy," he breathlessly shared then attacked my mouth once more. Our tongues danced feverishly against one another as he positioned himself more soundly between my legs from behind me. I could feel the tip of his cock teasing at my entrance and it was already making my knees tremble with anticipation. He released my mouth and slowly repositioned himself, placing his hands at my hips as he slowly entered my body with careful execution. He wanted me to feel every inch of him because he knew that was exactly how I liked it. He knew every spot, every twist, every move that would make me come undone so he was careful to take things slow so that our moment would last that much longer.

He rocked himself forwards and backwards, making me move with him on my hands and knees until I collapsed onto my elbows, creating an entirely new angle with my ass still slanted upwards into the air for him to continue with his conquest on my body. He slapped me again with the palm of his hand and growled a low command for me to look at him. I turned my head from the mattress and smiled into his eyes before biting down on my bottom lip feeling my impending release beginning to taunt me once again.

"So fucking good. You are so fucking good, Bella." He moaned increasing his pace with ease just before he abruptly stopped to flip me back over. He attacked my breasts with his teeth and brought his hand to my pussy to feel the excitement he had created. "And so wet. I love the fact that this is what I do to you," he continued before further spreading my legs in front of him once again. "I want you on top of me now."

"Your wish is my command, Stalker." I moved myself out from beneath him to straddle his hips. I hovered over his solid cock and grabbed at his shaft with my right hand to guide it back to my entrance, never once breaking eye contact with him. He looked absolutely desperate for me to bring him back inside of me and the look on his face alone made me moan out in ecstasy. He took that as his cue to impale my insides with his throbbing member using as much force as my body would handle. When he began pumping me with pure need and infatuation, loud moans bounced off the walls around us brought on by our cries of mind blowing pleasure.

"I want you to scream it, Bella. Tell me how much you love it," he prompted, our bodies moving with the smell of sex filling our room. I tilted myself forward and moved my knees up, lifting my pelvis just enough to elicit a hungry yelp from my lips at the feel of him touching me in places no other man could.

"I fucking love you so much, Edward. So much. Forever. Fuck! Forever," I screamed feeling myself coming completely undone. "I'm coming, baby. Shit, I'm coming so hard!" I grabbed at his hair and brought our foreheads together to look him in the eyes while I lost myself completely over his masterful cock.

"That's what I wanted to hear, Care Bear. I love to feel you from the inside-out, baby. I love you so god damn much," he whispered softly, while I felt him pour himself inside of me. "Perfection. You plus me equals absolute perfection. Forever. Don't you ever question that." He smiled into my eyes while he moved some of my hair back away from my face. He kissed my forehead tenderly and cupped my face once again with his hands then lifted his body up from the pillows on our bed to kiss my lips with so much love pouring from him I thought I might experience one more mind-blowing orgasm.

"You spoil me, Edward. On a daily basis, for the last two years and ten months of my life," I told him with a bashful grin escaping across my tingling lips.

"I promised I always would, didn't I?" He returned with a wink. I giggled again and watched him get up to go into the bathroom to clean himself up. I was ready for sleep now. Tomorrow would be chaos. Not having Edward around to help in the morning would only add to the headache and the mayhem. But I at least had some good back up sleeping in the guest house and down the block. I was asleep before Edward could even make it back to our bed. My dreams filled with happiness and contentment. Somethings really would never change. Never.

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><p><strong>AN: And there you have, hope you didn't mind me jumping right in with some citrus. ;) **

**So many thanks to get through. BIG BIG thanks to my returning beta from TMT, CC. I love you HARD woman! And to ClaraBella for her extra set of eyes and agreeing to be a pre-reader for this new adventure. You rock babe! The amazing Stella is already hard at work with drawings for TMF, and has created a very special banner to start things out. Yes Bella will be sketching lots in this, and yes James will have his hands in that. Dun dun dunnnnn. ****Lolypop82 has also created an awesome animated banner, and a ADORABLE manip showing our happy family of five. You can find links to all of these goodies on my profile page. **

**The next chapter is almost complete, but I can't give you an exact update date... please be patient and know I'll be doing my very best to get it out as quickly as possible. **

**How are we feeling, do we like how things have started. Are we trusting Jake or are things a little too perfect? Thoughts on Edward still working with Victoria? *wink* It's going to be a bumpy ride once things get going. I hope you're ready. Xox, PB**

***Leave a review and get something special. I kind of have this thing for paying it forward now with small outtakes.***


	2. Celebrations and Cavalier Lines

_Disclaimer: Twilight and its characters belong to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended with the posting of this story. Stalker, his Care Bear, Princess Bree, and the twins belong to me though. Please respect._

**A/N: Hi! And I'm back, and 110% committed to finishing this story and also doing my very best to update every 7-10 days. My pregnancy turned out to be not so easy, and then learning how to juggle being a mom, wife, and also working... well that wasn't very easy either. I'm happy to report however that I've now mastered the juggling act and I'm absolutely back to writing, and completing this extension of Stalker and his Care Bear's life.**

** If you're back, well that means the world to me. If you want to curse me out, I totally understand and I don't blame you at all. I myself am excited to be back. I'm even more excited about what I have planned for these two, so I hope you'll give me, and this story another chance. **

**I have two new beta's on board who I owe some major thanks to. myonlyheroin and taylowendy, you girls rock beyond belief! I feel very blessed to have you as part of the Two Makes Five team! **

**Lets get to it then, because I've seriously missed these guys.**

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><p><strong>Celebrations and Cavalier Lines <strong>

**Chapter 2**

**~*Bella*~**

I hadn't even opened my eyes yet, but I could already sense movement from Edwards's side of the bed. Even though it seemed like an impossible mission, especially after feeling his warm breath beside my ear, I was determined to hide my grin. The thought of his lips returning to mine, however, was already mocking me and my apparent inability to remain still. "Morning sunshine," I heard his soft voice whisper into my ear, gently waking me further, sending goosebumps across my naked body.

"Hmph, what sunshine? The sun is hours from rising, Edward." I corrected him, still without opening my eyes, but giving in to my grin.

"Ah, but you're wrong. There's always sunshine when you're in the room, _my_ Bella."

"Mmmm, I love your cheese, but I know you know that." I replied, trying to hide my smirk once again after peeking my eyes open to stare into his gorgeous face.

"And that's why I serve it, Care Bear. To you. For you, and _only_ you. Are you sore from last night?" he toyed playfully, before kissing my nose with his soft lips. His hand instantly sliding across my belly, down my hip to pull my body up against his so there would be no space left between us.

"Only in all the right places, Stalker."

He smirked at my response, then pulled me closer against him so I'd be able to both feel and hear his heart beating beneath my ear.

"I hate that I won't be here for you before the party. Are you sure you'll be alright? I can send Riley over to help."

"I don't need your assistant to assist me. How about you just call in sick instead." I suggested, smiling against his neck. I loved the smell of his hair and skin in the morning. It was something I'd never get sick of. It was a scent I could never live without. This was fact. Especially mornings after our very skilled love making sessions.

"As much as I'd love to do that, baby, and as badly as I need a vacation from everything work related, today is an important first day on set. I've got to be there to make sure things run smoothly because when I'm not there to babysit Victoria, that's when more work gets piled up."

He was right, he did need a vacation.

He'd been working his ass off for the last six months. I could tell it was starting to both physically and mentally drain him. I knew he loved his job, however lately when he came home it was obvious to me that things were beginning to get to him and I hated to see him so stressed. He used to adore everything about his career, but I was sensing more and more that he was starting to feel burnt out from it all and it was actually beginning to concern me.

"Maybe you could get James to give you a week or two off and we could fly into the city for a break before school starts, or at the very least, take a mini vacation someplace special close by with the kids?" I suggested, already feeling overly hopeful that he would indeed talk to his partner and that he would grant us a family getaway before Bree's hectic school year started.

"Possibly. I'll see how today goes. Once things get rolling, I won't have to be there every day. I really could use a timeout from it all."

"It's settled then. We're planning a family vacation!" I insisted, then kissed him firmly once more before removing the comforter from our bodies to pull him up from our bed and guide him into the bathroom so we could start our day off in the shower together. The house was still free of little ears, so there was no reason to waste such precious moments with a PG rated sunrise. Not when NC-17 rated opportunities were so rare these days.

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><p>After seeing Edward off to work shortly after the crack of dawn, I got busy in the kitchen, preparing four dozen cupcakes. At the time it had sounded like an easy enough task, however, now that I had everything sprawled out on the counter top in front of me, not so much.<p>

I had no choice but to smile to myself while I scanned the kitchen, tugging at my hair. I was already feeling overwhelmed. In seven hours this house would be full of people, chaos, and noise.

"Deep breath, Bella. You-_can_-DO-this!" I self-prompted as I tied my Minnie Mouse apron around my waist. A gift from Bree last Christmas that she'd just about died over the first time I'd donned it at my hips.

"Giving yourself a pep talk, Bells?"

"Jake! Christ! You nearly gave me a heart attack. I didn't hear you come in." I yelped, holding my right hand to my heart while my left hand stabilized my body against the counter top.

Jake laughed and offered a quick apology while eyeing me up and down in my fancy red and white polka dot apron with a smirk on his face. "Leah was craving some apple juice. I was going to raid your fridge," he explained bashfully, "She's having a rough morning." he quietly added as he slowly made his way past me, brushing my arm with his own in the process.

"Aw, poor thing. I remember those days. Morning sickness is not fun at all. Bring her some toast too." I told him as I poured a glass of juice for his pregnant fiancé.

"Kay 'thanks. I'll come back and lend a hand after I make sure she's comfortable. I know she promised to help you this morning, but I don't see her being much help to anyone anytime soon."

"It's no big deal. Take care of your woman. Alice said she'd come over. She should actually be here pretty soon." I insisted, giving him a light push towards the back door with a grin on my own face. "You should run a bath for her. Actually, if she's up for it, she can use our tub in the master bedroom. It's amazing; she'll probably never want to leave it though." I warned with a quiet laugh.

Jake smiled and nodded his head, "Okay, I'll suggest it to her. Thanks again."

I shot him a quick wink in response just as my cell phone began to ring from the counter top beside my scattered mixing bowls. My smile grew after I saw the number that was calling me. "Hey Esme, how are my babies?"

"They're officially two years old, Bella. Time to stop calling them babies, my dear," My mother-in-law reported in a teasing tone. I could instantly picture her grinning on the other end of the line and had to smile to myself. Only slightly though. I wasn't ready to think of my babies as legit toddlers just yet.

"They will _always_ be my babies!" I briskly corrected her then released an exasperated sigh from between my parted lips.

She laughed and let out a long winded huff of her own, "Well, Bree has been a godsend with Aidan. I swear she has a magic touch with that boy. He went down for good around ten after she sat with him in the rocking chair to read him Peter Pan. They have a very special little bond those two."

"Yeah, that's his favorite bedtime story. Hence today's birthday party theme. Bree likes to think it's all her doing since we used to read it to them all the time while I was pregnant." I shared, smiling over the blissful memory.

"Well, whatever the case she's been a huge help. Madison has been an angel. She really is such an easy child, Bella. I'm not sure how you got so lucky with that one. And so smart! The words that come out of her! She's brilliant I tell you!"

I laughed at her remark and nodded to myself while smirking over the thought of my tiny second princess. "She's amazing. I'm glad they're not being too difficult for you. I'm just now starting the cupcakes. Can you bring them back to the house around one? I know it's not the easiest of tasks, but please make sure they have a nap and lunch before the party so they won't be cranky."

"Of course, dear. I've got everything under control. See you soon."

I hung up the phone and turned around to face the window that looked out towards the guest house across the yard. Through the large bay window I could easily make out Jake carrying Leah in his arms towards the back of the small cottage. I grinned to myself, thinking about all the times he used to do that with me, but also felt thankful that he had found someone else to care for now in the same very way.

There was a quick rap-a-tap-tap at the front door; breaking me from my thoughts right before Alice's voice came floating down the hallway and into the kitchen. "I'm here! I'm here! Let's get all Betty Crocker up in this joint!" She stopped short, scanning my kitchen attire with a hidden giggle, "Hey! Where's my lady mouse apron?"

I smirked at my friend, shaking my head, "You can wear Bree's princess apron, it's hanging up in the pantry, Pixie."

"If that's a crack at my small stature, _Mrs. Cullen_, maybe I'll just go home and take this frosting with me!"

"You know I'm teasing you, though I'm sure Bree's apron will fit you perfectly." I whispered the last part and five seconds later my hair was suddenly full of white flour.

"Oh, you asked for it now!" I shouted at my best friend. I instantly grabbed my own hand full of white powder and began chasing her around the counter, with our laughter and squeals loudly filling the room.

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><p>Once the guests started to arrive, my anxiety slowly began to triple. Only when Edward got home did I finally start to relax, and even then it still didn't last very long.<p>

"You're late." I mumbled with a slight smirk as he leaned in to kiss my forehead softly.

"I know. I'm sorry. There was a minor emergency, but we found a solution. I don't want to talk about work though. Right now, all I want is to see our _two_ year olds!" he declared with another grin, then kissed my lips firmly before releasing me from his arms to head outside where Aidan and Madison were playing with their friends.

Well… Madison was playing… Aidan looked to be more concerned with demolishing anything and everything around him with his plastic pirate sword. I smiled, watching Edward lean down to pick up our son and let out a happy sigh seeing Aidan's beaming expression at the sight of his father. With a kiss on top of his head, Edward hugged our son firmly then set him back down beside his sister so he could give Madison some equal attention after she'd patiently waited for her own turn with her father.

I could live the rest of my days just watching them enjoy each other's existence and I would die a happy woman. Nothing in the world could ever make me feel more complete or content.

Nothing.

My life was perfect and I owed it all to the man who had forced me to open my heart to him at a time when I never wanted to feel anything ever again. At times, it all still seemed absolutely insane to me, but this was my reality, and I treasured every waking minute of it. No matter how exhausted I felt at the end of every day, as long as my family was happy, I was happy.

There was a ring from the doorbell, breaking me from my blissful stare and I watched as Esme made her way to let the newest guest inside. The sight of James with a pretty brunette on his arm had me rolling my eyes almost instantly.

A new week, as per usual, brought on a fresh new face. It always amazed me how one man was capable of going through women literally as if they were nothing more than tic-tacs in a small plastic case he kept in his pocket. Never once since meeting James had I ever seen him with the same woman twice. He seemed to take pride in that, which always irked me beyond belief. Still, as of recently, he'd managed to return to my good graces by agreeing to help me with another art exhibit.

I'd impulsively decided last month that raising two year old twins, and a first grader wasn't enough to have on my plate. So it seemed totally understandable that I'd go to my agent and tell him I was ready for my second art show to help raise money for my favorite Autism awareness foundation.

James had already found me a gallery and another artist to share the space with for the show who had also agreed to donate a portion of his own profits to the foundation. I didn't know how many pieces I'd be able to finish by the deadline James had given me, so he had suggested a joint show with one of his newest 'talents'. All I knew about his latest 'find' was that he was fresh to 'the scene' and he reminded him a lot of me, only with a penis.

"Bella, you look dashing! I can't believe we're really here celebrating two years with your remarkable duo! Allow me to introduce you to Fiona."

I smiled and leaned in to hug Edwards's work partner, who had turned out to be a fairly decent agent after I'd agreed to sign on with him a few months after the closing of my first show in New York. "Hi, James. It's nice to meet you, Fiona."

A part of me felt bad for James' arm candy. Of all places for her to get her one and only date with Mr. Smooth himself, he'd brought her to a toddler birthday party.

Internally, I was smiling because I could see the disappointment already processing across her own well made up face. She'd no doubt spent a small fortune on the outfit she was wearing and to have her hair blown out professionally.

_Bless her heart. Hopefully, __she gets something more than James' dick in her mouth at the end of the night._

"Are we still on for lunch Monday?" James inquired, his eyes obviously resting on the bit of cleavage my maroon colored party dress was allowing me to share with the world this evening.

"Yup, looking forward to finally meeting this amazing new artist who has captured your attention."

"You'll love Garrett. He already loves you. He's one of your newest biggest fans, actually. Kid has done his homework."

I blushed over his words and shook my head, feeling slightly embarrassed. "I've had one show, done a few album covers, and sold a few pieces in a local shop. Hardly anything to fall in love with." I insisted with a roll of my eyes.

"Bella, your art has made over fifty thousand dollars for Autism Speaks. That is definitely a feat worthy of admiration. Accept it. Embrace it." I rolled my eyes again, and nervously shrugged my shoulders. Every penny I'd made, whether from a drawing, painting, freelance job working with a band for their album art; every penny had been donated to further Autism research and outreach programs. That was another thing that had caused James to earn some points with me. He'd agreed to help me in the biz and get my pieces into stores, all without demanding any kind of cut or reimbursement. He lovingly referred to working with me as his 'pro-bono' work that would someday be his ticket into heaven.

"Momma Bella! When can we have cupcakes? Say now? Say yes. Thank you." Bree recited after suddenly appearing at my hip, tugging gently at my skirt with her Cinderella Barbie in her other hand.

"Soon honey, let daddy get settled. He just got home. You should go give him a hug. He missed you last night." I told her with a rub of my hand at the top of her head.

"Why hello, Princess Bree!" James cooed bending down to get to my step-daughter's eye level.

"Hi, James. Nice day to be our guest. Yes. Cupcakes will make it better though. Ciao." She answered, looking into his face, but avoiding any and all actual eye contact with him. He smiled and patted her head then stood back up to drop his arm over his dates shoulder while we watched Bree quickly skip away singing Beauty and the Beasts, 'Be Our Guest' at the top of her tiny lungs.

"Remarkable child that one."

I nodded my head, silently agreeing with him before politely excusing myself so I could get into the kitchen to begin the task of setting up the grand finale.

Cupcakes and ice-cream.

Once that was done, then I'd feel better about sitting down to relax for a few minutes.

"Hey Bella, is there anymore ice? The cooler outside is getting pretty low." Emmett asked, bringing my attention back around to him. "Yeah, in the freezer there should be another bag." I answered with a huff before pulling my hair back to help myself cool down.

"You feeling okay?"

"Yeah, just stressed. Go have fun with everyone. You don't need to play iceman." I teased Edwards's best friend, pushing him out of the kitchen playfully so I could get to work setting the cupcakes out on their decorative stands. One was Tinker Bell themed while the other was Peter Pan.

Once I had everything all set up on the dining room table, I retrieved the small individual cakes I had made for the twins to stick their number two candles into then grabbed a lighter from the top of the fridge and headed back outside to have Edward call everyone in. I spotted Aidan once again playing by himself under the table, lining his toy cars up in typical parade fashion. Madison was sitting between three of her friends from our Mommy and Me class, hosting a tea party with her new tea set Esme had gotten for her, and Bree… well, Bree was standing on the hammock starring up at the sky, yelling at Scuttle… you know… the seagull from The Little Mermaid? Yeah, he lives in our backyard.

She was demanding he bring her down a dinglehopper because the wind had apparently _ravaged_ her hair.

As inappropriate as it was, today's word from our _Word Of the Day_ calendar had been, you guessed it, ravage.

_Well, at least she's using it in age appropriate context._ I thought to myself with a crooked smile.

My eyes locked with Edwards and we both grinned at one another, shaking our heads at our perfect little family and all their unique quirks. He quickly excused himself from the grown-up conversation he had been sharing with Charlie and Jake a few feet away and made his way towards me to instantly take me back into his arms.

"Alright, everyone! Let's go have some cupcakes and ice-cream!" he shouted to our guests which instantly caused a stampede of little feet to take off towards us, then past us, back into the house. "You really did an incredible job with all of this. I can hardly believe you were able to manage it all on your own without any help, baby." Edward softly shared in my ear as we took our places beside the cupcake stands on the table, each of us holding one of the twins in our arms now after they'd come running at us from where they'd been playing outside.

"Well, Alice helped a little this morning, though; really all she did was assist in making more of a mess to clean up." I giggled, then shot my best friend a wink who swiftly stuck her tongue out at me playfully. Edward laughed and kissed the top of my head before loudly clearing his throat to further quiet the room.

"Thank you all so much for coming. It's been a wild two years! I can hardly believe how quickly time has flown by. Truthfully, though, Maddie and Aidan's mother," he stopped to look down into my eyes, and I could feel my face blush over the looks of pure admiration and love that he'd sent my way, "Bella, you make every day seem as fresh and new as the very first day I laid my eyes on you in that grimy New York City subway. So even though we're all gathered here to celebrate the birth of the twins, I also want to celebrate the love that Bella and I share, because without that there would be no celebration today. Thank you baby, for being such a phenomenal mother to our children. You've given me so much… so much more than I ever dreamed possible. Happy Birthday, Aidan! Happy Birthday, Madison! Mommy and daddy love you very much."

With Edwards closing words, he swiftly kissed both of our children at the top of their heads and everyone around us shouted happy birthday in return before he granted me my own special kiss. It unfortunately didn't last very long after Aidan developed the impulsive need to push us apart with a stern, "My momma!" His action made the nearby guests surrounding us laugh as both Edward and I smiled over our son's protective nature. Alice took that as her cue to begin leading us all in a round of 'Happy Birthday to You', with Bree of course singing louder than anyone else in the room.

* * *

><p>At around seven, people <em>finally <em>began to say goodbye and I was _finally _able to really sit down. My feet were killing me, my head was spinning from all the many different conversations I'd had to endure, and my face hurt from having to smile for the last five hours like the proud mom, and wife I was.

The twins, thankfully, had experienced so much excitement that they'd passed out about a half an hour ago, which of course meant they would be up at the butt crack of dawn tomorrow morning, but that was to be expected after a day like today. I'd enjoy the chance to just kick my feet up and hang out with my friends again tonight, only this time we would have Bree to entertain us and that always meant for a lively show.

Jake and Leah were cuddled up at the corner of our long couch. Alice and Jasper were busy making goo-goo eyes at each other while they helped with the dishes in the kitchen. Rose had already taken off because she had an early call time in the morning, leaving Emmett here for the night, and Charlie and Esme had disappeared to take a walk down the beach together.

"You look fairly content, Mrs. Cullen." Edward's voice teased gently into my ear after he'd fallen back against me on the sofa, kissing the top of my head and then my cheek.

My body melted against him as I took in a shallow breath and exhaled slowly, "Really? I feel like I just ran the New York City marathon." I toyed, shifting my weight upwards to kiss his lips firmly with my own.

"Mmmm" he moaned against my mouth smiling, "the party was a huge success. You did a phenomenal job, Care Bear, really."

"Thanks, Stalker. Perhaps, I'll be rewarded later?" I teased while running the tip of my pointer finger down his chest suggestively.

He smiled in return, obviously undressing me with his eyes, and pulled me up into his lap to hold me against him, right where I belonged, while we both watched Bree doodle in her sketch book at the coffee table in front of us. She was humming one of my favorites, _When You Wish Upon A Star_, while her little hand moved about carefully over her paper.

"So, I'm actually off tomorrow. You guys want to do some touristy stuff or just chill?" Edward asked the room while his hand ran up and down my bare arms affectionately.

"Let's go to Disneyland, Daddy!" Bree instantly squealed, leaping up from her seat in front of us. It still shocked me sometimes… the way she was always listening, but you'd never have guessed it by her demeanor seconds prior. She almost always seemed to be in her own little world, with her own rules, and planned dialogue, but when those moments of pure connectedness struck we treasured them and almost always gave in to her very specific requests in hopes that it would bring us more moments just like that.

Edward and I laughed and looked at each other then around the room; everyone was smiling, so we took that as our cue.

"Looks like we're going to Disneyland!" my husband announced, then carefully removed me from his lap to jump up from the couch so he'd be able to pick up his little girl and spin her around the room. She giggled uncontrollably and flailed her arms and legs out at her side while her smile grew with every turn they made together and my heart melted instantly over the sight of them.

"Thank you, Daddy. I can doodle now. I'll doodle the castle, please." Bree announced, cupping his face with her small hands. He nodded his head and kissed her cheek before setting her back down in front of her favorite drawing pad.

"I've never been to Disneyland! This should be fun!" Leah shared, smiling from Jake's arms.

"You will love it, Auntie Leah. We will get you a _My First Visit_ button. If you wear it, everyone will know your name. It's not magic that they will know your name, but you can pretend it is." Bree shared without looking up from her paper. Everyone laughed, enjoying Bree's Disney tip just as Edward reached into his pocket to retrieve his stupid Blackberry, ruining the moment with its loud chirping. I gave him a warning glare, silently reminding him that he had promised no more work for the rest of the day.

"Shit. I need to take this one call. Five minutes. I promise."

I let out an exaggerated sigh, knowing it would be more than five minutes, and sarcastically shooed him away with my hand without saying a word. He leaned down and kissed the top of my head before further excusing himself to take off for his study down the hallway.

"Poor guy. I swear James is trying to run him into the ground with the clients he's got him juggling. He can't catch a break. I just got a notification on my Yahoo! News alerts that Irina was busted with coke at a traffic stop. I'm sure that's what the call is about." Emmett shared after flopping down beside me, causing my body to rise and fall over the cushion we now shared.

"I figured. If it's not Victoria, it's usually Irina. And now he's got that Felix Cloak who comes with all kinds of unbelievable attention seeking baggage," I groaned.

Emmett laughed and elbowed me in the side playfully. "Been reading some supermarket gossip rags, have we? I thought Edward warned you to stay clear of those glossy pages while you're standing in the check-out line."

"You know I don't even bother glancing at those disgusting things! His little bender with the Borne twins was all over the place last week!" I replied, defensively. "They even covered it on Dateline NBC! People don't care about the real news anymore. All they want is a nosey peek inside the exclusive fishbowl that is Hollywood and its elite tribe. It's disgusting." I affirmed before taking three solid gulps from my wine glass.

"No worries, Bells. Edward can handle it. He always has, and I think that's mostly thanks to you. Most women wouldn't put up with it. You're a special breed!"

I could feel my face betraying me over Edwards best friends compliment, so I quickly redirected my eyes back towards my step-daughter who was now silently lining up her colored pencils from tallest to shortest in front of her.

That was my cue that it was time to start her bedtime routine.

"Alright, it's time for all princesses to get to bed. It will bring morning all the more sooner, and with morning comes Disneyland, so let's hop to it." I prompted after kneeling down beside Bree. She glanced at me from the corner of her eye, then swiftly picked up her pencils to drop them back into their tin box before leaping up from the floor to spin around the room singing her infamous goodbye-goodnight song.

My friends all blew her their own kisses and I gave them a wink from my eye and let them know they should make themselves at home because it was a fact that Edward wouldn't be back from his phone call for at least another thirty minutes and it took about the same amount of time to get Bree changed and into bed after a quick story together.

Even with my friends here, it was still imperative that we stick to our routine or all hell would break out, and after the day I'd had playing hostess, a chaotic bedtime with Bree was the last thing I needed or wanted.

* * *

><p>Disney had been a nice break from the reality of our busy lives. Much to my surprise, Edward had purposely left his cell phone in the car the entire day. It had only taken him about an hour to overcome his anxiety after locking his electronic appendage up in the glove-box, but I'd been insanely proud of him and promised he would be rewarded for it later once we got the kids to bed.<p>

Lots of new memories were made experiencing Disney with our friends and family from New York. Pictures were taken, and sketches would now be drawn to help us remember all the moments the cameras might have missed.

It was Monday though, which meant Esme would be here any minute to watch the kids for the afternoon while I headed out to meet James and Garrett for lunch downtown. Jake, Leah, and Paul had decided to tag along for the ride, but I'd insisted they venture out to the Chinese Theater to do some sight-seeing while I talked shop with my agent.

"Are you sure Sam doesn't want to come?" I asked Jake while I cleaned up Aidan's face from his own mac-n-cheese lunch.

"Nah, he wants to spend the day on the beach with that chic he met on the internet." Paul scoffed, causing both he and Jake to chuckle lightly.

"Wait! What?! He met someone online that lives here?!"

"Yeah, I mean they met the last time we were out here on tour, but they kept in touch. I guess she's kind of sunk her claws into him." Jake explained, then handed me another wet wipe for Aidan's hands. I smiled and shook my head over this latest news.

"Wow, I'll most definitely be teasing him about this later." I laughed, earning myself another smile from my ex.

As soon as Esme came waltzing through the front door, I had Madison attached at my leg, "No! You no go Momma!" she pleaded with tiny tears quickly falling from her eyes. It was rare, but _when_ Madison did have an episode of separation anxiety, those episodes were always laid on extra thick. I joked with Edward often that we might have a future actress on our hands, which of course made her Aunt Alice extra proud.

"I'll be back soon, baby. You'll have fun with Fairy Grandmother and your brother and sister. I think Bree has art class almost set up in her bedroom." I assured her, hoping it would help my smallest little one relax a little.

"They'll be fine. Go, go. I've got it all under control. She forgets all about you thirty seconds after you're gone." Esme smirked, bringing on a sarcastic pout to my face.

"Gee, thanks!"

She laughed and hugged me tightly, "You know I'm just trying to help you feel better. Now get going. We will see you guys in a few hours. Enjoy your afternoon!" my mother-in-law demanded, then gave me a light push towards the door to follow my friends. I gave my babies one last kiss and promised I would return with a surprise for them in a few hours. Aidan was absolutely lost in a _Yo Gabba Gabba_ video on the large screen TV in the living room, but he gave me an automatic kiss and waved me away while his little sister continued with her well calculated tantrum on the floor in front of their grandmother.

"Have fun!" I teased with an exaggerated thumbs up before quickly grabbing my bag to follow my friends out the door feeling slightly thankful to be getting a break from the terrible two's that had recently fallen upon my home.

* * *

><p>After fighting the massive amounts of traffic to make it downtown, I had Jake drop me off outside of the restaurant and then told my friends I would text as soon as I was ready to be picked up.<p>

"You sure you don't want us to tag-a-long? That James guy, he gives me the creeps, Bells. I know you trust him, but there's just something about him that's always rubbed me the wrong way." Jake shared after leaning outside the driver side window to grab my arm before I could walk away.

"I'm fine. Go be tourists! I'll see you guys in a little while. Make sure you take lots of pictures!" I insisted. After blowing them all a kiss from my hand I made my way up to the entrance under the wide overhang above the double doors. Just as I'd reached out for the handle, my phone buzzed in my purse. I quickly retrieved it from my bag to find a text from Edward. A slow smile spread across my face

_Hey beautiful! I was going to try and surprise you and meet you guys for lunch but something came up that's going to keep me at the office. Love you, __baby. Have a good meeting. –Stalker_

I let out a sigh. I couldn't help but wish he hadn't told me there had been a possibility I'd get to have him by my side this afternoon.

Sometimes not knowing was better than knowing because then I wouldn't be standing here feeling as though he'd put his work ahead of me. I was a grown woman, though, and this wasn't a social meeting. It was a work meeting. My own work meeting. Something I should be able to handle on my own without having him here to hold my hand.

_Love you too! I'll text when I get out. NOT nice to tease me of possibilities that fell through. XoX lover! –Care Bear._

Once my eyes adjusted to the dark lighting in the restaurant, I spotted James right away, standing up and waving at me. I waved back and dropped my phone into my bag before making my way between the tables to join my agent and the other gentleman who was sitting in front of him with his back towards me.

"Bella! I don't know how you do it, but every time I see you you're more and more lovely." James cooed leaning in to give me a fake Hollywood hug.

Fake because I knew in the back of his mind he was thinking about doing much more than just wrapping his arms around me with our clothes still on. I shivered at the thought, but forced a smile and said hello. Once the formality was out of the way, I redirected my attention to Garrett, well who I assumed was Garrett. I smiled at the stranger as he stood up from the table then offered a quiet hello while looking directly into his bright blue eyes that were hiding behind his shaggy sand colored hair. There was something familiar about him, but I couldn't put my finger on when or where our paths might have crossed.

"Bella meet Garrett Lanali. Garrett, Bella Swan-Cullen." James spoke up from behind me.

"I know you from somewhere." I replied, narrowing my eyes now while he held onto my hand during our time extended shake.

He smiled and nodded his head. "We met a few months back on the boardwalk. That's where James found me actually. I was doing portraits for money, and I did one of you with your daughter while you two had shared an ice cream cone on the pier."

Now I remembered him. He had indeed drawn a picture of Bree and me, without my permission. I'd had no idea we were even being watched and when he approached me with the drawing, I'd nearly bit his head off and told him I drew my own pictures, before swiftly taking Bree by the arm and storming away without saying another word to him.

My face was now red from embarrassment over my past PMS like behavior, during our apparent first meeting

"Ugh, I think I owe you an apology. If my memory serves me correctly, I was having an off day. Your drawing was actually really amazing. I'm so sorry I took off like that. Wow, I feel like a total ass now."

I'd taken Bree to the beach to get ice cream for a solo date before she left for India to spend the summer with her mother and her other step-mom. It had been an emotionally draining afternoon to say the least, and Garrett had caught me at a moment when Jane had just text me with attitude dripping from every word.

"No worries. We all have days where we're not ourselves. I knew that had to be one of yours."

I smiled and nodded my head then took a seat between both him and James at our table.

"Garrett, you never mentioned that you'd already met Bella. Shame on you." James replied suspiciously. I eyed him, having noted the tone in his voice but I was unable to figure out what he was insinuating, so I redirected my eyes to the menu in front of me.

"Well, it didn't seem important. When you told me it was Bella who I would be sharing the show with, I figured it was just fate that our paths would cross again and left it at that."

I glanced up surprised by his words, then looked back at James who was already smirking, nodding his head.

"You aren't the first man to feel that way." James chuckled lightly before opening up his own menu in front of him. I rolled my eyes and took in a deep breath, already feeling discomfort wash over me after glancing one more time in Garrett's direction, only to find him still staring and smiling at me.

"So, Edward said he was going to try and make it here to join us for lunch, but unfortunately it seems he was kept away."

_That a girl. Bring up your husband. The love of your life. The father of your children._

"Edward would be Bella's husband, Garrett. He's also the fellow you met at my office this afternoon who came in screaming his head off." James replied, still grinning. I glared at him and crossed my arms in front of my chest. It was now obvious that my husband's inability to surprise me this afternoon with his presence was entirely James' doing.

"What did you do?" I asked, glaring at him.

"Me? I didn't do anything. It's those bloody pap's and your husband's clients who seem to get a high off of being photographed by them. We're not here to talk about that ugly stuff though, sweet Bella. We are here to discuss your show and to get the two of you acquainted."

I didn't believe a single word he said. I knew he had something to do with it. I could tell by the devilish smirk that was still on his well-manicured face. It was now apparent that our lunch meeting was going to be long and uncomfortable.

* * *

><p>Once our food was brought to the table, I sat quietly while picking at my plate, listening to James and Garrett discuss which mediums he would use for his pieces that he'd like to show at the gallery. I was already bored with all of it. I'd never really liked discussing art. I just liked creating it.<p>

It wasn't till James excused himself to use the bathroom that I finally felt as though I was able to breathe again.

"If he didn't have the connections he's got, I totally wouldn't put up with his shit. He's such a pretentious ass." Garrett spoke up quietly after leaning in towards me. I nodded my head automatically without even processing how unprofessional it might be.

"He is, but deep down, behind all the slime, there's a part of him that means well. He's helped me raise a lot of money for a foundation that's very important to me and my family." I replied, looking down at my hands that were now holding my cloth napkin in my lap.

"Right. I read about that. An Autism foundation right? Bree, your step-daughter, the one I met, she has Autism?" Before I could ask him how he knew all of that, he quickly explained he was extremely Google savvy and may or may not have typed my name into the search bar after James had told me he would be sharing his first exhibit with me.

"I just wanted to see some of your stuff. I was shocked when your face stared back at me though. Small world. The universe apparently wanted our paths to cross again."

I said nothing because truthfully the entire conversation was making me feel a little uneasy.

"You're unbelievably talented, Bella. I almost don't feel worthy… I mean. Jesus. Just a few weeks ago I was painting portraits on the damn pier for ten bucks. This show could change my life. Look what your first show did for you! You've done what? Seven major album covers?"

"Well, that was honestly more my ex's doing. James had nothing do with me landing that first job, the others just followed after it thanks to word of mouth in that industry." I quickly shared after seeing our agent heading back towards us.

"Have a nice chat while I was gone?'

"Nah, we just stared at our hands wishing we had a sketch pad in front of us." I replied with a huff, then straightening myself in my seat just as the waitress came over to clear the table.

"Ha! I bet. You two, well let's just say I predict wonderful things from the both of you. Your partnered show is going to be the talk of the town. There's a craving right now for refreshing raw talent, and you're both going to give the L.A. art world just the fix it's salivating for." James insisted, trying a bit too hard for my taste.

"Yeah, yeah. I don't need you blowing sunshine and rainbows up my ass, James. Just help me make enough money so I can move into a place with a roof and a bathroom and I'll be happy." Garrett replied, extending his hand across the table to offer our so called agent a shake.

"I'll have you living outside of that van of yours in no time."

"Van?! You live in a van?' I asked in horror.

Garrett's face turned a slight shade of red as he slowly nodded his head, "My story is nothing new, right? Poor boy, packing his shit up and driving across the country to make something of himself in California."

"Well no, if you're an actor or musician. Not so much a struggling artist, I would think," I teased automatically. He shrugged with a slight smirk now on his face and told me Dollywood caricature drawings just hadn't been cutting it for him anymore.

"I took a chance. There's no reality show for us artists, you know. We're a hard talent to sell, Bella."

I smiled and shrugged, feeling indifferent about the subject. I could have gone the rest of my life without sharing my doodles with anyone. I did them because it was something I loved doing; not to make money or to become famous.

"Alright, so we have six months then to come up with twenty-five to thirty original pieces?" I asked, redirecting my attention to James.

"Yes, at least. It's a large space though, so if you manage to do more it would actually be welcomed. I'm really looking forward to seeing what you come up with this time around, Bella."

I sighed after forcing a smile upon noticing the return of James' wandering eyes dancing around the neckline of my dress.

"Well thank you for lunch, and for bringing the twins such a wonderful gift too. They love the trampoline."

"Oh, good. I was worried you might kill me for giving them such an accident prone present."

"They're accident prone walking from their bedroom to the kitchen. If anything, the trampoline will only broaden their creativity when it comes to acquiring new bumps and bruises." I mused, then stood up from my chair. James laughed at my comment and impulsively took my hand into his to raise it to his lips for a brief kiss then wished me a safe drive home.

"I'm going to work the room a little before I head back to the office. Garrett be a gentleman and see Bella to her car." James insisted after shaking our other lunch guest's hand. "I'll be in touch. Don't let your phone service get cut off now."

"Ha. I won't. Thanks for lunch." Garrett replied, holding out his arm for me to walk in front of him towards the entrance of the restaurant. Once past him, I pulled my phone from my bag and quickly sent Jake a text letting him know I was ready to be rescued.

"Do you need a ride somewhere?"

_Did he just… how did he… he read my frigin text!_

I looked up at him with disapproval clearly on my face. "No. My friends are picking me up. They're visiting from out of town, so I let them use the car to go sight see. They should be here soon." I explained after taking a casual step away from him in order to create more space between the two of us where we now stood outside of the restaurant.

"Right. Visiting for the twin's second birthday party, I assume."

"Just how much did Google tell you about me and my life?" I suspiciously asked, crossing my arms in front of me with my phone still held in my hand.

"You don't want to know. It's actually slightly embarrassing how much I've learned. I bet you didn't know your favorite color is black because there's an infinite number of different shades of it, and that when you were ten you helped a boy find his missing dog by sketching pictures for his Lost Dog posters that he hung in Central Park? I also read he renamed _said_ dog after you."

I laughed and gave him an impulsive shove with my empty hand, "Funny."

"No, I'm dead serious! I read that shit!"

"I can assure you my favorite color is not _black_, and I never helped some kid find his lost dog… it was a cat." I laughed again just as my phone buzzed in my hand. I looked down expecting to see a text from Jake letting me know they were on their way, but felt my jaw drop over what I found instead.

_You look amazing in that coral colored dress baby, but I'm not sure how I feel about seeing you smiling with some stranger outside of our favorite eating establishment. –Stalker_

My eyes quickly shot up from the screen to scan my surroundings, and that's when I saw Edward leaning against his SUV parked along the swell about fifty feet away.

"You! What are you doing here? You said you couldn't make it." I shouted, and then ran myself into his arms.

"Well, I didn't exactly make it did I?" he teased playfully before kissing my lips softly. "I called Jake and told him I'd be able to pick you up. I'm done for the day, so we're going to go meet them for a double decker bus tour." My husband informed me then glanced back at Garrett who was now standing with his hands stuffed in his ill fitted dress pants.

"Edward, I believe James said you met Garrett earlier today in his office?" I prompted already feeling a bit of tension being sent Garrett's way.

"Oh, right. James' newest project. I'm sorry you had to see that side of me. I wasn't myself today. My apologies." Edward offered, extending his hand out. Garrett met him half way and smiled.

"Seems to be a running line with you Cullen's."

I could feel my face turn red almost instantly.

"Right, well, it was nice to meet you Garrett. Good luck with your pieces. I guess we will see you in a few months at the opening." I quickly spoke up, then linked my arm through Edwards to pull him towards his car so he could take us away from the uncomfortable awkwardness that was settling in.

"Oh, I'm sure we will see each other again before then. Take care, Bella. It was nice to finally meet the _real_ you. See you guys around." I watched him turn to walk away before I could say anything else. Edward remained still for a few moments. His eyes set on Garrett and the back of his head till he turned the corner to head into the parking lot on the side of the building.

"You okay?" I finally asked when he still didn't move from his spot on the sidewalk.

"Me? Yeah. Absolutely. Let's get out of here. I have the rest of the day off and I intend on making every second of it count."

I smiled and threw myself into his arms again to hug him tightly after hearing his news repeated. He typically worked extra late on Mondays because that's when gossip usually hit the rags after a weekend of partying in Hollywood. Not tonight though. Tonight he would be home, exactly where I needed him to be.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Boom! We meet Garrett. How do we feel about him? Be honest. **

**~*Please review! As thanks you'll receive a short outtake from Edwards POV from when he see's Bella outside of the restaurant with her new friend/co-artist.*~**

**There's a futuretake (which would be considered an outtake for this story) now posted over on Two Makes Three. If it interests you, it's the actual moment from when Bella and Garrett meet for the first time on the pier at the beach. There's some cute Bree moments too. *wink***

**Feels good to be back with these two. I hope you'll stick around.**

**xo, PB**


	3. Time-Outs Accepted

_Disclaimer: Twilight and its characters belong to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended with the posting of this story. Stalker, his Care Bear, Princess Bree, and the twins belong to me though. Please respect. _

**A/N: Hi! Back one day early! Thank you so much for the amazing welcome back! It really feels good to be back in Stalker and Care Bears head! A few people left guest reviews for the last chapter which made it impossible to send them the EPOV Outtake from Chapter 2. If you were one of those people, please leave me a PM if you still wish to receive that outtake.**

** Major thanks to _myonlyheroin_ and _taylowendy_. Their beta skills are amazing! I'm so so so lucky to be working with them!**

**This chapter is rated M, strictly because of Edward and Bella's apparent obsession with each other when they get a few minutes alone in their bedroom. *wink***

* * *

><p><strong>Time-Outs Accepted <strong>

**Chapter 3**

**~*Bella*~**

It had been a fun afternoon with our friends, acting like tourists and snapping goofy picture, after goofy picture with our cell phones, and Leah's fancy digital camera. It was nice to be out, minus the little ones for once. It was a rare occasion to have a day like today, and I could tell it had been something Edward and I had both been in desperate need of.

We loved our kids, but even we needed a time out from them every once in a while during normal daylight hours.

It had truthfully been a long summer with Esme traveling, and me being without Bree; my biggest littlest helper when it came to the twins. I honestly hadn't even realized how burnt out I was feeling until we boarded the double decker bus and I had a minor panic attack thinking I'd left the diaper bag at home only to be reminded by everyone that I was actually out for once without needing a diaper bag by my side.

God, I couldn't wait to no longer need that damn gaudy diaper bag.

"All the little hooligans that share our last name are finally a sleep. Jake and the crew are all out back cracking open another jumbo bottle of wine." Edward reported after flopping down beside me on the bed. I was feeling exhausted, but our friends would be leaving tomorrow afternoon to head back to the other side of the country. I wasn't sure when I might see them again so I knew I needed to pick myself up to go be social during our last night together. I was craving beyond belief though, to sit back with my sketch pad and doodle some of today's memorable adventures.

"You're wanting to draw." Edward shared out loud, just above a whisper after leaning over to kiss my exposed shoulder.

"You know me well," I laughed, and then sat myself further up against our beds headboard while gently biting at my bottom lip in the process, knowing it would drive him crazy.

"Isn't that why you married me?" he questioned with a raised brow, almost taunting me now to attack his face, thanks to the look he was sending my way.

"Oh, I thought you knew I only married you for your masterful orgasms, Stalker." I teased, still smirking before slowly repositioning myself onto all fours so I could crawl into his lap and purposely straddle his hips.

I was feeling tired, but not _that _tired.

He licked his lips after scanning my body that was now positioned over him and carefully extended his right arm upward to cup my face in the palm of his hand. I casually ran my own right hand down the center of my chest, past my belly button to lift the skirt of my coral colored dress, the dress that he loved so much, up and around his torso. I wanted to be sure he'd have full access to the very specific area of mine that was now begging to receive him.

"You're so goddamn beautiful. How did I get so lucky?"

"Don't you remember? You were on the right train, on the right night, at the right time, _Stalker_." I carefully answered, and then leaned down to take his bottom lip between my teeth. He placed his hands over my hips, pressing me further down into him. I could already feel his throbbing cock underneath me. He obviously wanted me to know just how excited he was to have me positioned over him like this. I moaned as I pressed myself deeper against him, wanting to feel every inch of his manhood against my most sensitive areas. He instantly grabbed at the back of my neck with his right hand to bring my mouth back down to his. Our kiss quickly deepened to the point where it felt as if our breathing relied purely on one another, inhaling and exhaling in unison at a rampant pace, while his grip at the nape of my neck held me in place.

"I want you to stand up against the bed, Bella." He prompted beside my ear, every word causing my limbs to tremble under his touch, and my knees to shake. I somehow found the ability to follow his demand and removed myself from his lap to swing my legs over the edge of the bed so I'd be standing with my feet firmly planted on the ground. He followed my move and deliberately positioned himself behind me. He then slowly bent me forward by sliding his opened hands down my arms to rest them on top of my own spread fingers, while he carefully pushed me downward towards the mattress of our bed. I was now lying with my chest and belly against our comforter, my arms spread out in front of me, and a wicked grin on my face.

His left knee slid between my legs to spread my moistened opening before him, and with that one subtle move, I released a quiet gasp before begging him to take me. Every part of me was shaking while I anticipated feeling all of him enter me from behind. The high I felt while waiting, while longing for him to fill every part of me in ways no other man ever would, ever could… it was almost too much for me to handle. I could already feel my own excitement beginning to pool up where his merciful fingers were now rubbing across my clit.

"Fuck, Bella. You're already so wet."

"And you better make good use of that absolute fact. Please, Edward. I want to feel every part of you inside of me. I want you to make me scream your name, and I don't care who might hear us."

"Your wish is my command, baby," he whispered beside my ear from where he still stood behind me with his palm pressed between my legs. He ran his opened hand back and forth several times between my lower limbs, rocking me forward and backwards, from my heels to my toes as he carefully positioned himself on his knees. He brought his lips to the tiny red heart tattoo that was printed on the skin of my right ass cheek, and then smacked it with sensual force, sending a yelp through my parted lips. With that signature move, I knew what he would do next. As soon as he'd removed my panties from around my ankles, his tongue was instantly lapping at my well moistened pussy. I cried out in pure ecstasy, while my hands grasped at the bed sheets beneath me, willing myself to stay in position while his mouth continued with diligent care against my sensitive skin.

Within seconds I could already feel myself teetering at the edge of bliss. "Fuck me with your cock, Edward." I begged, falling forward, deeper onto my elbows against the bed with the side of my face now pressed firmly on the mattress. He forced me back up so he'd be granted the access he'd need to move his fingers in and out beside the moistened space between my legs, all the while his tongue continued to dance with absolute rhythm along my pulsing pussy.

"I want to come with you tonight. _Please_? Together? With you inside of me, Edward." I pleaded again before screaming out his name in sudden panic over the orgasm that was already threatening to ruin me in the best of ways.

He grunted and removed his mouth from my throbbing clit. "I could live between your legs for the rest of my days, Bella. _My_ Bella."

"And I would die an unbelievably happy woman, Edward Cullen, but right now I _NEED_ your cock inside of me!" I breathlessly shared, and then slowly climbed up onto the mattress so that I was now on all fours in front of him. I was taunting him with my slicked opening raised before him in such a way; I knew his dick was now craving to conquer me. He slapped my ass again three times, sending another whimper through my lips, and then carefully positioned himself behind me with one knee up and one knee down on our bed.

"Are you ready, _Care Bear_?" he questioned, his hands forcefully grasping at my hips, after he'd taken a sensual second to once again trace and kiss the tiny red heart tattoo on my backside. I could feel the head of his penis at my center, taunting me to beg him once again to push himself further into my needy body.

"Fuck me like you love me, but make love to me like we'll never fuck again, Edward." I challenged, knowing my words would set him off completely. He grunted over my challenge and swiftly brought himself inside of me, slowly at first, so I would feel every masterful inch of him. Then, with pure precision he began pulling himself in and out, rocking my body in front of him with such need, such desire, I truly felt as if we were the only two beings left on this planet.

"Fuck, I love you so goddamn much, Bella." The sound of his hand once again meeting my ass echoed off the walls around us. I lunged forward with the amount of force he'd sent to my backside, moaning in pleasure over the feel of the sting his palm had brought on, while I begged him to tell me why he loved me.

"You're my entire world, baby. My _everything_!" As much as I never wanted this to end, after hearing his words, I was moments from reaching my climax. His cock was pressing into me now in all the right places, and I knew it was only a matter of seconds before I would crumble before him, twitching in pure euphoria.

"Don't stop. Don't you dare fucking stop!" I warned, turning my head to look him straight in the eyes from over my shoulder as he continued to pound my pussy as if this were the last moment we may ever share together. "So good. You. Are. So. Damn. Good. To. Me. _Stalker_!" I squealed, then again fell forward onto my stomach creating an even more erotic position for the both of us to revel in.

I heard him mumbled a low '_Jesus_' under his breath, followed by my name, and then a multitude of sexually charged explicit words rolled off his tongue while he held me at my hips with his powerful hands.

"I wish we could do this all God damn night."

"Life really would be perfect then," I teased between my forced breathing, pressing my ass and hips backwards into him with a low moan, "Fuck, I'm going to come, Edward." I warned, once again glancing over my shoulder to look him in the eyes.

"Me too, baby. Jesus! Don't turn away." He ordered, grasping at the curve of my hips more firmly and throwing himself into me over and over again, while his hands drew me forward and backward against him, inching me closer, and closer towards losing myself beneath him and around his cock.

"I'll never turn away. _Forever_. I'm yours forever." I moaned, feeling my body give in once and for all. I clenched the blanket beneath me with my fingers grasping at the smooth material till my knuckles were white. I moaned his name loudly at least four times, letting him know he had justifiably succeeded in adding to the list of _Most Memorable Orgasms Of Bella Swan-Cullen's Life, _as he poured himself into me. "I'll never get sick of that. Jesus, Edward. You're unbelievable," I whispered, closing my eyes to try and slow my heart rate down after I'd removed myself from around his cock to curl my body up into a fetal position at the top of our bed.

"You sure as hell better never get sick of it. I'd die of a broken heart." He warned, and then crawled further up the bed to lay himself beside me, instantly bringing me into his arms.

"I love you so much." I softly shared, closing my eyes, and wishing we could just fall asleep now, here in each other's arms.

"And I you, forever and always."

I smiled at the sound of his words and let out a quiet sigh. "I guess I should go be social now."

"You probably should. That is if you can still walk." He toyed, and then tickled my sides, which swiftly brought me up, and out of the bed to escape his attack.

"Not nice, Cullen."

"I knew it would get you up. I'll be out in a bit. Now that I've had my way with you, you can go have fun with your friends." He insisted with a devilish smirk as I slid my panties back on and fixed my dress.

"As you wish. Thanks for helping me remember why I married you." I teased, before playfully blowing him a kiss.

He laughed and shot me a wink. "If you're up to it, I'll give you another reminder later tonight," he challenged, then fell backwards against our pillows, no doubt needing a few minutes to calm himself all the way down after our very random, yet very brilliant love making session.

* * *

><p>I was all alone outside, laying back in the hammock with my eyes on the stars above me, while my body swayed side to side rhythmically to the very random song I had playing in my head. Everyone had parted ways for the night, and Edward had disappeared to tend to a two in the morning Victoria emergency on his phone. All I wanted to do now was lay here and enjoy my dwindling wine buzz paired with the peace and quiet that had also surrounded me.<p>

Much to my disappointment, the peace and quiet didn't last very long.

"Care if I join you?"

I looked over and smiled, finding Jake standing beside the edge of the hammock with his guitar in his hand. He hadn't brought it out once during their entire visit, which had definitely been unlike him. "You seem to be making a habit out of these late night one-on-one chat sessions, Black." I teased, and then sat up to move my legs over to make space for him. I pulled my blanket around my shoulders to bump him with my arm playfully before sliding my legs upward to tuck them underneath me and then took in a deep breath, "Get Leah all tucked in?"

"She was out before I could even kiss her goodnight." He laughed, as he softly began strumming the strings of his guitar with very little purpose.

"I'm surprised she's been able to hang as late as she has, especially with the time difference. All I wanted to do was sleep during that first trimester," I admitted with a shake of my head. "That fiancé of yours is hardcore!"

Jake smiled, nodding his head, and then continued on his guitar after his gaze drifted out towards the ocean.

When he began playing a familiar song, I instantly sat up a little straighter. For a moment, his guitar had caused me to hold my breath, thanks to the memories its melodic chords had carried with them.

It was a song he'd written for me shortly after we'd decided to take things further than roommates with benefits. He must have noticed my unease because he quickly stopped his fingers and hand from moving, then softly apologized.

"Sorry. I guess some things are still habitual, when I have you beside me."

I rolled my eyes as I leaned back on my elbows to look up at the sky and the tiny diamonds that shared its space, "It's a good song," I admitted with an impulsive sigh, "God, that all seems like a life time ago though, doesn't it?"

"Yeah. Most days, it really does. Enough small talk though. Something's been on your mind since lunch. What happened at that meeting today?"

I looked at my ex with shock clearly on my face, "What are you talking about? Nothing happened. I'm just exhausted. It's been a hectic four days, Black."

He shook his head, knowing I wasn't being totally straight with him. I let out a huff, and then rubbed my eyes with the palms of my hands as a low grunt escaped past my lips, "I don't know. It really does come down to me being exhausted; I mean, I realize I make it look easy," I teased, trying to lighten the conversation a little, "but it's so damn hard sometimes… a lot of the time… raising two, two-year-olds, and an almost seven year old, who still behaves like a two year old a lot of the time. Edward is working all of the time, and when he's not working, he's stressing _about_ work. For some reason I got it in my head that doing another show would help me find my nitch again, something besides being a stay-at-home mom, but now that the opportunity is really here… I just… the time it's going to take… I don't know where, or when I'll be able to get any real decent drawing or painting done. I guess, sometimes I wish I could just have a time-out from all of it, and go back to a time when things were less… less,"

"Grown up like?" Jake asked, finishing my rant for me.

I smiled and slowly nodded my head, "I mean, I basically went from being a twenty-three year old bartender, to being a mother of three overnight. Sometimes I feel like I haven't stopped to take a breath since that day I found out I was pregnant."

I had no idea where all of this was coming from. This was totally unlike me. I loved my life, I really truly did, so where all of this sudden selfishness was coming from… I honestly had no idea.

"I know Edward's offered to hire a nanny in the past. Why not give it a try? You don't have to keep her around forever, just long enough to get your sketches done for the show, and to give you a little break?" Jake suggested, after he pushed the ground again with his feet to move the swing back and forth under us.

"I'd feel like a failure. Lots of women are able to raise three kids on their own. I shouldn't be any different. Just because we have the money to hire someone to help raise _my_ kids, I don't want to be _that _person." I admitted quietly, while avoiding his eyes, because I knew the look he would be sending my way.

"Don't be stupid, Bella. You're right, lots of women raise three kids on their own, and they also want to throw themselves off the nearest cliff. You're in your mid twenties and you're basically raising three kids all by yourself. I mean, I know Edward helps a lot when he's around, he's a great dad, but let's face it, it's like you said, he works a lot. It's okay to ask for help, especially if you're serious about doing this art show. It's okay to need, and take some time-outs."

I knew he was right, but I wasn't ready to give him the satisfaction.

After a few uncomfortable seconds of silence, I let out a huff, "Maybe just a _few_ days a week, for a couple of hours." I quietly spoke up, and then bumped his shoulder to stand myself up from the hammock. "Thanks for forcing some reality on me, Jake."

"I've got to be good for something still, don't I?" he teased, and shot me a wink. "Really though. No one wants to see you have a nervous breakdown. Find a way to give yourself some _Bella_ time. You'll still be Super Mom, just Super Mom with sanity on her side."

I smiled and nodded my head before blowing him a kiss from my hand, "You're a good friend. It's too bad you and Leah won't relocate your asses out here. Then, I could just let you guys watch the kids and you could get some practice in before D-Day." I teased, causing him to laugh out loud and shake his head.

"Ha! Funny! In all seriousness though, we've talked about it. The band I mean. We'd all have to be on board in order for it to work."

"What?! No way! I had no idea you guys we're considering it again." I was genuinely shocked by this news.

"Jasper's the one really pushing for it. It would make his life a hell of a lot easier."

I nodded my head, knowing exactly what he meant. The commutes back and forth to be with Alice on the west coast, and then be with the band for rehearsals on the east coast, they were killing my best friends husband, and Alice was starting to feel incredibly guilty over it.

"Well, you know I would be thrilled to have you guys out here. All that would be left is Charlie, and if things continue to go well between him and Esme, I don't think it would be a hard sell!" I shared, smiling down at Jake as I wrapped my blanket around me more tightly. Jake nodded his head again and smiled back up at me without saying anything in response. "Well, I guess I'll see you in the morning. Sleep tight." I spoke up, after a few more awkward seconds of silence.

"Night, Bells," Jake called out, after I'd turned to make my way back into the house. I heard him begin to strum on his guitar again and smiled at the sound of another familiar song. Thankfully, this song wasn't about me.

* * *

><p>It had been hard to say goodbye to everyone at the airport on Tuesday.<p>

It had been especially hard after Esme had shown up with her own suitcase to head back to the city with my dad for a few more weeks.

Apparently, she just couldn't get enough of the man.

That was Edward's mom though, full of impulse and adventure.

It drove my husband crazy, but I think it was mostly because in a way, he envied her for her freedom. I know I certainly did some days. Usually days when the house was full of screaming, and fighting over who had the blocks first, or who broke one of Bree's crayons and scribbled in her sketch book.

It was now Friday afternoon and I'd just given up on getting the twins down for a nap. Madison had at least tried for me, but when Aidan insisted on throwing a very loud tantrum over the idea of me turning out the lights and leaving the room, well I just knew nap time wasn't going to happen today. At least not a structured nap time with them in their beds, behind a closed door.

This would have given me the opportunity to do some drawing out on the porch.

No nap time now had me sitting on the couch with my face in my hands, silently counting backwards from fifty, while the twins fought over the circus Little People they'd received for their birthday from their Grandpa Charlie. Bree wasn't helping matters by jumping on the miniature trampoline in the center of the room, shouting her alphabet backwards _out-loud_ at the top of her lungs.

When the doorbell rang, my step-daughter was instantly on the job, bolting from the trampoline and running full speed towards the front door. "A guest has arrived!" She bellowed with the sounds of her rampant footsteps echoing off the walls as she made her way across the wood flooring.

"My, Mary Poppins, it's you! You have returned!"

I quickened my pace after hearing Bree's last words.

I was instantly shocked to see Mrs. Coupe standing in the doorway with a huge smile on her face and a large suitcase by her feet.

"Hello, dear."

She greeted me with a warm hug, and as soon as her arms were around me, I almost lost myself to happy tears.

"What are you doing on this side of the country?! What are you doing _back_ in the country period?!" I exclaimed, hugging her tightly.

Mrs. Coupe had been our babysitter whenever we were in need back in the city. She'd become a good friend and an extended member of our family. Then last spring, out of nowhere, she'd sent us an email informing us that she had to leave for London. Her son needed her to assist him with his own children. I honestly didn't think we would ever see her again, let alone find her here on our doorstep in California.

"Your husband sent me an email a few days ago and I just couldn't say no to his request. I packed up my things and immediately left my unappreciative son, and his floozy wife to come see a family who has always appreciated me, and made me feel welcome."

"Oh, Mrs. Coupe, I've missed you!" I was near tears again after hearing the story behind her very sudden return. There'd never been anyone else I'd trusted more with my kids than the woman who was standing before me. She had a special touch, and not until she was gone did I fully appreciate just how special of a lady she was. "This is a wonderful surprise! How long are you staying?"

"Well dear, that's up to you. Mr. Cullen explained that you have another art show coming up, but hardly any time to work. So, I'm here to help with things until you decide you've had enough of me, I suppose."

I was in shock. Edward had basically hired us a full time nanny without even discussing it with me first.

_How did he know?_

"I think I need to call my husband."

"I thought you might say that. How about if I just keep the little ones at bay while you make your phone call. I can't wait to see how big Aidan and little Maddie have gotten!"

"Oh my God, yes! Come in! Where are my manners?! They're in the living room playing with some of their new toys." I quickly told her, and then linked my arm through hers to guide her down the hallway with Bree running a long in front of us.

"Coop! Coop!" Madison instantly squealed after seeing our surprise guest. I laughed, watching both of my children run to meet our longtime friend, and then quietly excused myself to sneak into the bedroom to call Edward.

He answered after the first ring, "Surprised?"

I smirked and shook my head, still in disbelief, "How did you know I needed a visit from our very own Mary Poppins?"

"Jake might have mentioned something a few days ago right before they left." He quickly replied, catching me by surprise. I still wasn't use to the idea that husband and my ex were now actually friends who talked regularly. "I wish you would have told me you were feeling stressed, baby. You always hide it so well."

"If it makes you feel any better, I was apparently hiding it from myself, too. Besides, you have enough to worry about. I didn't need to put more on your plate. Not when it wasn't anything important."

"Your sanity, and your art are equally important to anything else I have going on in my life. Please tell me you're not mad at me though?" he asked hesitantly.

"No. I'm not mad. It's just temporary. At least until after the show. Then I'll go back to being a full time Super Mommy, and a flawless house wife." I insisted with a soft laugh, after falling backwards onto our bed. "What did you work out with Mrs. Coupe?"

"She works Monday through Friday from nine to five and she will have her weekends to herself. You'll still have to take Bree for her therapy appointments, but Mrs. Coupe will stay back with the twins, making those outings a little less chaotic for you. For the time being, she'll be staying in the guest house, but she mentioned she'll have some place else to stay in a few weeks. Apparently, she actually has a few friends out here."

"Really? Well then," I giggled, "how dare she have a life."

Edward laughed on the other end of the line, and then quickly told me he loved me and that he was relieved to hear I wasn't upset with him for setting it all up without asking me first.

"It's actually better you didn't. I would have insisted I could handle everything just fine on my own, which would have been a lie."

"I know. That's why I did it my way. I love you, baby. I'll be home for dinner around seven. Go enjoy a quiet afternoon with your sketch book and pencils."

After telling him that I loved him too, I hung up the phone and felt as though a ton of weight had been lifted off my chest. I knew I needed to send Jake a quick text, thanking him for ratting me out, but I'd save it for later. Right now, all I wanted to do was change, grab my art bag, and head out to one of my favorite local spots so I'd be able to get lost with my pencils and paper for a few hours before starting dinner for my family.

* * *

><p>When I got to Griffith Park, I drove straight to my favorite section of the park.<p>

The area that housed the antique looking Carousel.

I smiled as soon as it was in sight, and for a moment I found myself wishing I had brought the kids with me. They loved it here. Bree would actually be very upset with me if she found out I had come without her, so I knew today would have to be my own little secret.

Without wasting another second, I grabbed my bag from the backseat and quickly made my way towards my most favorite tree in the park. After laying out one of my mom's old blankets, I took my place under the trees widely extended branches and leaned back onto my hands with my legs out in front of me, and a smile on my face.

It was almost hard to believe that I was really here. Sitting. Alone. Alone, with my large sketch pad and without any other bodies running around in need of my watchful eyes. It had seriously been months since I'd been out all by myself with no other purpose but to draw.

Once the initial excitement of it all settled down, I quickly got to work on an outline of Madison with the tea-set Esme had given to her at her birthday party last weekend. My hand began moving about across the paper with pure purpose and attention to every small detail my memory could recall. My fingers never once slowed down. Not until my little girls perfect smiling face was looking back at me. I could see myself in her eyes and nose, but Edward was clearly there in everything else about her. I smiled and touched the image with my freed hand just as a shadow fell over me. I looked up but found myself squinting as the bright sun beamed back down at me, hiding the person's identity, and turning them into nothing more than a black silhouette.

"Fancy seeing you here, Mrs. _Swan_-Cullen." The voice was familiar, but I was unable to place it.

I tilted my head to the side, narrowing my eyes just as the figure kneeled down beside me, allowing his familiar face to finally become more visible.

"Garrett? What are you…? Why are you here?" I asked, feeling completely taken aback by his sudden appearance.

"I would ask you the same, if you didn't have a sketch book in your lap. I work here, part-time. Putting kids on the metal horses so their parents, or nannies in most cases, can watch them go round and round. It's not a glamorous job, but it pays for gas when my sketches on the pier don't."

This news surprised me. I'd never seen him here before, and we came here often, at least twice a month.

"I just started last week," he added, as if reading my mind.

"Well, if it pays the bills, it pays the bills." I replied after a few seconds of annoying silence, "I don't want to make you late for your shift."

He smirked and repositioned himself so that he was now tailor sitting with his legs crisscrossed in front of him. "My shift just ended. I was on my way to my van when I saw you sitting here." He nodded his head towards the parking lot, and I impulsively followed his gaze towards a tan colored hippie style VW van, parked about a hundred feet away.

"Sweet ride," I commented, with a light laugh.

"Yeah well, its home. Not all of us live fairytale lives in a swanky beach side residence." He mocked with his nose up on the air. If he hadn't finished his sentence with a smile, I would have easily felt guilt sweep over me, but he was without a doubt grinning, so I knew better than to apologize.

He was flirting with me. It was obvious. It was also unwanted.

"Get anything done yet for the show?" I asked, trying to make conversation, while I glanced down at my own drawing that was still resting in my lap.

"Three paintings that I don't think I'll use. What about you?"

I tapped the paper in front of me and frowned. "This is the first time I've gotten to work since our lunch. Edward arranged for me to have more solo time though, so I should start cracking them out pretty quickly now." I shared with a hopeful sigh.

"Hired a nanny, eh?"

"She's a babysitter," I quickly corrected him after slamming my pencil down in front of me.

He held up his hands as if I'd just attempted to physically attack him, "My _apologies._ A babysitter."

I smirked and nodded my head. I didn't know what else to say. Truthfully, I didn't want to say anything at all. I wanted to get back to work, and he was keeping me from doing that.

"Can I sit and draw with you?" Garrett suddenly asked after the return of awkward silence had settled in, "I mean, it seems only right. The stars obviously align for us to cross paths again today, Bella." He toyed playfully. I rolled my eyes and tossed him a spare sketch book from my bag then one of my least favorite pencils.

"Just be silent, and you can stay. This is my quiet time. Time my husband is paying good money for."

"I'll be sure to thank him for it when I see him again."

"No!" The panicked word was out of my mouth before I could stop it. "I mean… you don't need to say anything. It's better that you don't."

I knew Edward would only question Garrett's motives. I could read it on my husband's face that day outside of the restaurant when he'd come to pick me up.

"Okay, then." Garrett smiled, and then leaned over to softly tap my knee two times with his pencil, "today can be our little secret."

I rolled my eyes and brought my legs back up beside me, so they would be out of Garrett's reach, just in case he felt the need to poke me with his pencil again. "We won't be sharing any secrets, darling. I simply meant, I would take care of letting him know we ran into each other today." I replied, still unsure of whether or not I would actually bring this chance meeting up with my husband.

Edward didn't handle jealousy well. The only person he'd ever managed to tame his cave man like tendencies with, when it came to staking his claim on me was James. That was mostly because he knew James completely disgusted me outside of our working relationship. I knew the idea of Garrett and I hanging out… well, I just knew it wouldn't go over very well. So if, NO, _when_ I told him, it had to be done delicately, and with care.

Thankfully, Garrett and I sat in silence as our pencils moved fervently across the papers we held in our laps. Every once in a while, I'd look over and catch him biting at the tip of his pencil before moving it about in front of him again. We stayed sitting there without saying a word for over an hour before my fingers began to beg me for a break. I glanced at my phone and saw that it was already almost four.

"I should get going. I need to stop at the store to pick up some stuff for dinner." I randomly shared, and then wondered why I'd divulge such useless information to someone who probably could have cared less about my motherly duties.

"You mean, you do your own shopping and cooking, too?"

His question made me laugh again, "Of course. Did Google tell you otherwise?" I mocked with a roll of my eyes while I began to gather my things. I motioned with a sweep of my arm for him to remove himself from my blanket, and then stood up to fold it in front of me before straightening my body upright with a loud huff leaving my lips.

"Funny. I just figured…"

"What? That I had a maid, personal shopper, and a chef? A nanny that tucks my kids in at night, and gets up with them in the middle of the night too? No, I don't have any of that Garrett. Forget about what you might have read online about me and my life. Nothing you read online is ever true. Trust me. Up until today, I did everything myself. Yes, we have money. Yes, I am blessed beyond belief, but please, don't pretend you know me. You know nothing about me." I spat out, wondering where all this sudden aggravation had come from.

"Jesus. Sorry, I didn't mean it like that." Garrett insisted looking as if I'd just slapped him upside the head. For a moment I felt guilty, but then I saw him smirk.

That smirk.

"Since you brought it up though, I would like to get to know you. The real-_real_ you, I mean. I could use a friend in this city. Someone who's not totally self-involved with a stick up their ass."

I had no idea what he really wanted from me, but something told me it wasn't a strictly platonic friendship. There was a voice in the back of my head warning me, telling me to walk away. Insisting that this was a bad idea, and nothing good could come from a friendship between the two of us.

"I'm happily married, Garrett." I firmly replied, looking him straight in the eyes, and shocking myself.

"Whoa! Alert the presses! You've only mentioned your husband's name like a dozen times since we've met." He teased with a laugh that helped calm me for some reason, "I'm not looking to fuck you, Bella. My apologies, if that's the vibe I'm giving off. I just thought we could draw together sometime and talk shit about pretentious pricks like James. I mean this city is riddled with them. Home Wrecker is not something I want on my rap sheet. I assure you."

I glanced around, having noticed that we were the only ones left in the general vicinity of the park. I started to become anxious, and more than ever, I felt ready to leave.

"If it would make you feel better, I could tell you I'm gay."

"You're gay?"

"No, I said_ if_ it would make you feel better, I _could_ tell you that." He was smirking again, and without thinking I smacked him hard with my hand, sending him backwards three steps which he'd obviously exaggerated.

"I have to go."

"No one is keeping you here, but before you do go, can I get your number? Just to discuss stuff about the show, of course."

"James can relay anything to me that might need passing along. I'll see you around, Garrett."

"I hope so, Bella."

I rolled my eyes and took the sketch book I'd let him borrow from his hands. When I went to tear the page out from the book to give it to him, I stopped, looked down at the image, and felt my jaw drop. It was a picture of me and Edward, standing outside of Nobu the day I'd met Garrett. The detail was phenomenal. We were standing beside his car, and Edward was holding me in his arms, looking down into my eyes while I looked back up into his own loving expression.

"I figured you don't get many pictures like that. I mean you're good, but it's not like you get to witness those kinds of moments as an outsider looking in the way others do. The way I did. You can see the love the both of you have for one another. I promise. I'm not looking to mess that up. I just want to be friends. Comrades."

"Comrades?" I laughed at his chosen word and closed the book, not wanting to verbally admit how I now wanted to keep the picture he had drawn.

"Just give me a chance, Bella. Please?" he asked again, after stepping around me to block my path to my car.

"Fine." I held out my hand in front of him and prompted for him to give me his cell phone. I quickly saved my number in his contacts under, _Mrs_. Cullen, and dropped it back into his hand. "Do _not_ call me after nine p.m. and if I don't pick up, that means I'm busy. Now, if you'll excuse me," I began to walk around him to continue towards my car.

I could feel his eyes on me the entire way.

"Thanks for a memorable afternoon, _Mrs._ Bella Swan-Cullen! I look forward to the next time!" he shouted after me. I gave one single wave from my hand without turning to look at him again. Once in my car, I picked up my phone and dialed Edward's number.

"Hey Care Bear, how was your first afternoon away from all the chaos and mayhem?" his voice instantly questioned on the other end, not even waiting for the phone to ring a second time.

"It was nice. I got a sketch done of Madison from her birthday party. You'll never guess who I ran into."

"Listen, I'm kind of in the middle of something. I'm trying to wrap it all up so I won't be late getting home for dinner. You can tell me all about your day, then. Okay? I can't wait to see everything you drew. It seems I might have some rather exciting news myself."

"Oh, okay, yeah. Sure." I replied with a frown, wondering if he'd heard a word I'd actually said.

_So much for being straight forward about your drawing partner today._

_Well, it's not as if I didn't try. _

I heard someone shout that he was needed to sign some contracts, so I quickly told him I loved him, and that I would see him at home for dinner in a few hours.

"I love you, too. So much. Something major fell into my lap today, baby, and I'm so excited to tell you all about it! I have to go though. Be safe. I'll see you soon!" The line went dead and I frowned after dropping my phone back into my bag. I took the car out of park and slowly made my way down the curved road towards the exit that would take me to one of the many busy Los Angeles roads that would lead me back towards my home, and our local grocery market.

I'd make Edward's favorite for dinner tonight, Mushroom Ravioli. It would make him smile when he walked into the house smelling my signature dish, and his smiles were truly what I lived for.

Then, after dessert, I would tell him all about my new drawing comrade.

With a few glasses of wine, some double chocolate cake in his belly, cake that Bree would no doubt help me bake, _then_ he would be ready to hear all about my day.

That is, as long as his phone stayed quiet long enough for me to get it out.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Yup... Garrett is pretty persistent isn't he? Talk about chance meetings, and being in the right place at the right time. *smirk* And what about Jake and Leah moving to Cali with the guys? Good idea, or bad idea? At least Bella and Edward's sex life seems to be unfazed by everyday happenings, lol. Any ideas on what Edward's big news might be (something falling into his lap)? **

**Thanks so much for reading!**

*****Please Review, as I will pay it forward by thanking you with a outtake from EPOV when he and Jake discuss Bella's hidden stressed out state.*****

_(I've posted the correspondence outtakes from TMT. You can find them in the last chapter now posted for that story. It includes the email Bella sends Jake after he insists on joining her at her OBGYN appointment, Jake's letter to Bella when he re-gives her the engagement ring, and also the heated emails shared between Jake and Edward when Jake refuses to go away and leave Bella alone. It's funny to read those and now see how close they all are. Boy can time and distance change a lot of things. *wink*.)_


	4. Random New Directions

****Disclaimer: Twilight and its characters belong to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended with the posting of this story. Stalker, his Care Bear, Princess Bree, and the twins belong to me though. Please respect.****

****A/N: Big hugs and kisses to my beta's, **_myonlyheroin_ and _taylowendy. _You girls are AMAZING!******

******Also, if you're interested in seeing the picture of Maddie that Bella drew at the park, you can find it posted on the, CareBear's Sketch Book Blog! There's a link on my profile under all the TMF stuff. Stella will be posting various "sketches" throughout the stories completion, so make sure you follow the blog************! So excited to be collaborating with her again, because her stuff is amazing! ******

******Alright! Here we go.******

* * *

><p><strong>Random New Directions<strong>

**Chapter 4**

**~*Bella*~**

Once everyone was in bed, and Mrs. Coupe had retired for the night after having dinner with us, Edward poured me a fresh glass of wine and guided me out towards the deck. He instantly sat me on his lap and wrapped his arms around my body before taking in a deep breath. I grinned, feeling him pull me backwards, deeper against him, just as his lips met the nape of my neck.

"Finally, I have you all to myself," he cooed softly into my ear, instantly drawing goose bumps across every part of my exposed skin. "It never gets easier having to share the quiet time I get to have with you. No matter who it's with, even when it's _just _the babysitter."

"I almost took you into the bedroom for a quickie at one point." I admitted with a smirk, then turned myself around in his arms, so I'd be able to bring my own lips to his neck and bite him playfully with my teeth. He chuckled and pulled away, warning me that he'd have to rush me into our room right then if I wasn't careful. "Well, what would be so bad about that?" I mockingly teased, searching his eyes with my own under the bright moonlight that was beaming across our sand filled backyard.

"My exciting news. I haven't told you yet, and it's been eating away at me all evening," he admitted with a slight hint of bashfulness in his tone.

"Oh, that's right! I'd almost forgotten. Do tell, Stalker. What is this exciting news of yours? Are we relocating back to the city?" I toyed with a smirk. He rolled his eyes and shook his head, then lifted me up to take the seat beside him so that I'd be more comfortable while we talked.

A part of me panicked for a moment.

I could sense his nervousness.

Even though he'd stated this was exciting news, there was definitely some apprehension paired with it.

"I saw James today."

"Aw! Lucky you."

He smirked, and reached out to cover my mouth with his hand, "Be nice."

I raised my arms out, signaling a truce, before crossing them in front of me. Slowly, he reached out to take my hands into his. He looked down at our intertwined fingers and took in a deep breath. I waited for him to continue, feeling my own nervousness rise.

"Well you see, I talked to him this morning. It was going to be a surprise, but I told him I wanted to lighten my load a little at work. He was surprisingly receptive, which of course shocked the hell out of me."

"That's amazing news, Edward! You've been killing yourself. You absolutely deserve a little break. You do know your sanity is important to me too, right?" I asked him while I jumped up and down in my seat over his exciting revelation. It was going to be so nice to have him around more without his stupid phone constantly going off, or him having to rush out the door with his _Super Hollywood Agent_ cape on.

"Right, well he agreed to take over three of my clients. I'm keeping Alice, but I'm still stuck with Victoria and Irina because they refuse to have anyone else. Irina is going to be taking a break from acting for a little while, in order to get her little _problem_ taken care of in rehab. So, technically it will just be Victoria and Alice."

I groaned and fell back against the bench dramatically. I was thrilled for Alice, but Victoria was the one client I would have loved for him to pass off. She was the one person who worked him harder than anyone else, and more than anyone else. She was also the one client who wanted him more than anyone else in a less than professional way. She was higher than _high_ maintenance. She was, _Final Frontier Maintenance_, and I absolutely despised her for it.

"Super-duper." I didn't know how else to respond.

"Don't be like that. You know you have nothing to worry about when it comes to Victoria." He insisted, before lifting my hands from his lap to kiss them at his lips. "There's something else, though."

I raised my brow and scanned his face looking for a clue behind his returned smirk. "Go on," I prompted, tilting my head to the side, and causing my wavy brown hair to fall in front of my shoulder again.

He swept my loose strands back behind me as I watched as his smile grow while he internally considered his next words before uttering them, "Alright, so, this evening right before you'd called, James asked me to come into his office. I'd handed over Felix's account to him this morning, so he said he had some questions for me. When I went in, there was a casting director already sitting at his desk. Apparently, the director for that gangster movie I told you about decided they wanted to pass on extending the roll to Mr. Felix Cloak. After all the hoopla with the Borne twins, who happen to also be the directors nieces, I can't say I blame him."

I nodded my head, agreeing with him, and silently waited for him to continue.

"Well, the shoot schedule is very tight, there's no room for setbacks, or delays, because the studio needs one of the lead actors for another film shortly after they're scheduled to wrap."

"Okay, I'm with you so far. Sucks for them, but Felix is no longer your problem." I still had no idea where he was going with this.

"Yeah… anyways, it put the casting director in a terrible position, so he came to us to see if we had anyone who could fill the roll on such short notice. I'd gone with Felix for his audition and read some lines with him, and well," he paused, looked out towards the water, and then back towards me to stare me straight in the eyes. "They want me to do it, Bella."

"Do what?" I asked, feeling profoundly confused.

"The part. They want me to play Anthony, the big crime bosses naïve son."

I laughed on impulse, "That's- that's hilarious!" I managed to get out between my giggles.

When I noticed Edward wasn't laughing with me, I stopped and scanned his shockingly serious face. "You're not… you're not going to do it?" I questioned, feeling even more baffled by his lack of humor over the words he had just spoken.

"Why would it be such a ridiculous thought?" His face was absolutely solemn.

"Edward, you've never expressed any interest in being on the other side of the camera lens. You just told me you were going to get a break from work. You can't seriously be considering this?" I answered him, crossing my arms firmly in front of me.

"I need a break from dealing with everyone _else's_ bullshit problems. This is something new, Bella. I think I could do it. It's only a few scenes, all filmed here in town, and it's going to be a pretty well marketed film. No huge blockbuster, but it could really end up being something that opens up other doors for me. People kill for a chance like this."

I looked at him still in disbelief, wondering when I might wake up from this randomly twisted dream.

Who was this person?

Edward had never once even hinted that he would want to act.

Never.

Ever.

Not even in his sleep.

"I didn't realize you wanted other doors to open up for you." I couldn't help but feel slightly hurt that he wasn't already satisfied with the life he… the life _we _had.

"Bella."

"You're absolutely serious about this, Edward? You want to start acting? In movies?" I was still waiting for the hidden camera to pop out of the bushes, and Edward to shout, 'you've been punk'd!', because this conversation just couldn't be real.

"I think I do, baby. I mean, I at least want to give it a try. It might be fun. Something to tell our grandkids about someday."

"You're insane." I muttered with a sigh. I really didn't like the idea. "You've totally lost your mind."

Since moving to west coast, the entire movie industry had quickly become a thorn in my ass. It was the only thing I disliked about living out here. The thought of Edward getting even deeper into it… into the very scene that I despised so much… the thought of him becoming even more vulnerable, more desirable to the tabloids, and their incredulous rumors… it truthfully concerned me.

If this was what he wanted though, if it would make him happy, then I knew I needed to support him, because that's what he would do for me.

I had to be the good wife. The wife Edward deserved to have.

"Okay then, _Mr. Hollywood_, do I at least get to read the script?" I asked with a forced smile. He laughed before bringing me back into his arms, and then kissed me hard with his lips.

"Of course you can. I really think you'll like it. We start shooting tomorrow!" He looked so excited, it was hard for me not to smile. I hadn't seen him this enthusiastic over something in such a long time. It was nice. It made it a little easier for me to relax and accept that this would be our new reality. My husband was going to be one of the elite now, not just someone who pulled the strings to make things happen. He was going to be the person who 'happened'.

"I do have some other exciting news though. News that I think will make you smile a little less forcefully." He added with a smirk, having obviously caught on to my own acting over his impulsively random life changing decision.

"Do tell, Mr. Cullen."

"I'll be done with all of my scenes in twelve days, and because I knew you would be supportive about all of this, I went ahead and bought us and the kids plane tickets, and booked us a room at one of the Disney hotels in Orlando, Florida. We're going to surprise the hell out of Bree. She's always wanted to go."

"No way! You're lying!" I instantly squealed, pressing the palms of my hands into his chest before bringing my lips to his. My excitement only lasted a few seconds though, "But Bree starts school next week," I pouted, thinking he might have forgotten.

"It's okay, she'll just miss one Friday, and that Monday is already a teacher workday. I thought about all of that, baby. Everything has been taken care of. We fly out on a Thursday night as soon as she gets out of school, and we will be back home the following Monday night," he explained.

I beamed down at him and held his face between my hands. "Now, _this_ is an amazing surprise, Edward Cullen. Thank you. The kids are going to be so excited!"

"But, are _you_ excited? I know it won't be the most romantic get-a-way, so because of that, I do have something special in the works for our _Love at First Sight_ Anniversary."

He was referring to the date we'd first met on the subway. The night my life had ultimately changed forever thanks to his cheesy lines, and dazzling smile.

Edward's more romantic surprises were always epic, and well worth the anticipation. November couldn't come fast enough.

"I'm going to go get us a bottle of champagne to celebrate."

I nodded my head and lifted myself up off of his lap to let him stand up from our shared seat. He leaned down to affectionately kiss my lips once more, and then turned to run himself inside, seeming more like an excited teenage boy than the man I'd married.

Still smiling to myself, I touched my lips where his had just kissed me and let out a quiet sigh. He was back seconds later with two glasses and a bottle of bubbly under his arm.

"Your phone was buzzing." He informed me, then extended his arm out to drop the piece of technology into my opened hand. I smiled after seeing a text from Alice.

_Hey honey! I just received word that I have the day off tomorrow. Wanna take the kiddies out, and about before I have to get things ready for the grown up party? – Alice_

"Alice is off tomorrow. She wants to spend the day with me and the kids before her party." I shared, "I guess, since you'll be busy being a movie star and all, I'll grant her that wish. Oh my God, Alice is going to freak when she hears you accidentally landed yourself a major movie role without even trying." I couldn't help but giggle. I would have to save the news for tomorrow because I knew her reaction would be one worth seeing with my own eyes.

"Yeah, she probably will. Especially since she auditioned for the same movie, but didn't get the part." He was hiding a smirk, and it had me rolling my eyes just before I playfully smacked him in the arm.

"Don't you dare tease her about this!" I insisted while I typed a response to my best friend on my phones screen.

_Edward has to work, so it's a date. How's 1-ish sound? – Bella_

Edward handed me my glass of champagne, and holding his own in his other hand, we clanged them together between us. I raised the crystal rim to my lips to take a sip, while he grinned looking down deeply into my eyes.

"What?"

"Nothing. You're just… I'm just a lucky man is all. I mean this is all so crazy, but you're just totally taking it all in stride, and not giving me a hard time about it." He answered, and then leaned in to kiss me softly. I smiled and shook my head, playfully agreeing with him.

"Wait! Is there a sex scene in this movie?" I asked, feeling like a complete idiot for not having considered it before.

"No, baby. No sex scene. I just die a horrible death." He assured me with a light chuckle, "So, that was my day. Now tell me all about yours. You mentioned earlier that you ran into someone while you were out doodling?" he randomly questioned, catching me completely off guard.

_Shit._

"Um, yeah. I was at the carousel."

"Visiting your favorite L.A. tree, just like I knew you would on your first day out alone with your sketch book, and pencils." He replied, interrupting me before taking another sip from his glass.

I smiled and nodded my head, looking down now at the bubbling liquid as it swayed back and forth in my own glass after I'd positioned it over my knee. "Yeah, I was sitting under my tree, and um, Garrett was suddenly there. It was kind of crazy actually. He apparently works there, part-time."

"Doing what? Picking up garbage, and trimming the bushes?" Edward instantly questioned, his mood noticeably less jubilant now.

And there it was.

My husband's inability to just trust that a guy could simply want to be my friend without any other motives or well plotted indiscretions.

"He works at the carousel, Edward. He noticed me sitting there, and came over to say hi." I carefully told him, wishing he wouldn't be making his distrusting cynicism so obvious.

"Small world. Too bad he had to work. I'm sure he would have loved to watch you in your element." He mumbled, more to himself than to me.

The last thing I wanted to do was ruin our night by being honest about who I'd spent a messily hour with in public, so I decided to bend the truth and just let Edward believe it had been a quick hi and bye meeting between Garrett and I. Nothing more, nothing less.

"Yeah. He actually seems like a nice enough guy. I don't know though, I think he might be gay?"

_What in the world are you saying, woman?! He told you he's not gay!_

"He's not gay, Bella."

"How do you know?" I teased, allowing a slight smirk to escape past my lips.

"I just know. Now, enough talking. I'm ready to get you into our bed, Mrs. Cullen."

I laughed and rolled my eyes, "What's this? Feeling the need to mark your territory, Stalker?" I questioned with my brow now raised in his direction. I knew the best way around this was to joke about it. My husband had nothing to worry about when it came to Garrett. That was the truth. There would never be anyone else that could come into my life and make me feel the way Edward did, when he looked at me, or when he touched me. He was my one true soul mate. No other man would ever come close to even comparing to him.

"Why? Do you need marking, Care Bear?"

I smirked and watched him lean over to set his glass down, instantly noticing his gorgeous ass outlines in his less than sexy flannel pajama pants. I giggled and covered my mouth. Edward turned, catching my stare, and slapped his bottom playfully before taking my own glass from my hand. "Like what you see?" He mocked with a playful wink from his eye. I giggled again and shrugged my shoulders, pretending to be unimpressed as he carefully placed my drink beside his own on the table. After that task was complete he redirected his stare back onto me and then offered his hand out to help me up from my seat.

"Garrett is no threat to you. You need to believe that. He's someone I share something in common with. Can I see us becoming friends? Yes. In time. That's it though. He only wants to be my friend, Edward. Plus, I think it could be nice to have someone who can maybe give me some constructive criticism in order to help me broaden my skills as an artist." I shared while he began to pull me towards the French doors on our back porch that would lead us into our master bedroom.

"You don't need critiquing. Your drawings are already flawless. There's no bettering something that's already perfect," he softly replied with a hidden smirk on his face over the serving of cheese that had just left his lips.

I stifled a laugh and jumped up to wrap my arms over his shoulders, and my legs above his hips. "You're only saying that because you want to get in my panties." I teased, before leaning in to kiss his cheek.

"Well, I do want to get in your panties, but I also believe your work is already amazing, with zero need for improvements. If you want a doodle buddy though, then I guess I'm cool with you spending some solo time with this nomad artist guy, especially since you're being so cool about me taking on this acting roll." His approval made me smile. I kissed him again and ran my fingers through his hair to pull him in deeper as our tongues collided with absolute lust and desire. I didn't want to talk about Garrett anymore. I wanted to feel the magic of my husband's hands, and his mouth on my body.

"Enough _work_ talk, Stalker. I really don't want to talk about any of that _any_more." I whispered beside his ear, and then took its lobe between my teeth to sensually nibble. He grunted over my move and swiftly tossed me onto our bed after kicking the doors closed behind us.

"I think I know what you want, baby, and I think I'm more than prepared to give it to you."

He playfully tossed me backwards onto our mattress, and I slowly scooted my body away from him so I'd be leaning against the headboard of our bed. I seductively spread my legs before me, and traveled my hands down my thighs then back up again along the inside of my legs. "Well what are you waiting for? A personal invitation, _Mr. Hollywood_?"

"Don't call me that. I like _Stalker_ much better." He quickly snickered as he crawled up onto the bed to hover over me. He pressed his body against mine and tilted my chin upwards to bring my mouth to his lips, kissing me more passionately than he had all day. When our kiss subsided, I let out a quiet sigh. With my eyes still sealed shut, and my lips raised in a hungry smirk, I ran my opened hands down his back then heedfully pulled at his hips to drawl him in deeper against me.

"Okay, _Stalker_. Show time. Let's see what you've got. Lights. Camera. Action!" I challenged, creating a hungry growl from between his lips.

"With pleasure, baby. With absolute, undeniable, irrevocable, pleasure."

* * *

><p>I woke up to the joyous sounds of Aidan yelping, and calling out for me from over the baby monitor on the night stand beside the bed. I noticed the lights on in our bathroom and knew Edward was already getting ready for his first big day on set.<p>

The sun wasn't even up yet, but my son had decided it was time to start the day.

I longed for the day when I'd be able to actually sleep in again, but I was also well aware that I still had quite a few years to go before that would ever happen.

The minute I entered the twin's room and heard Aidan's change of tone when he called out, "Momma!" after seeing me, my annoyances disappeared, and were swiftly forgotten.

Surprisingly, Madison was still fast asleep, seemingly undisturbed by her brothers shouting. I picked my son up and kissed him firmly at his cheek, wishing him a soft good morning and carried him out of the room in my arms to go into the living room. After changing him on the floor in front of the TV, I glanced over and let out a gasp, seeing Bree silently standing in the hallway a few feet away from us.

"Good morning, Bree."

"It _is_ a good morning, Momma Bella. Aidan is awake. We can watch cartoons. Yes? And thank you."

"Yes, you can, just try and stay quiet. Your sister is still a sleep." I replied, then handed my stepdaughter the TV remote, knowing she would be able to get things going on the big screen. Aidan was already waiting patiently on the couch. He too was well aware of their usual morning routine, and what would happen next, now that his big sister was with him.

"Up already?" Edward asked with a grin, after meeting me in the kitchen where I was getting the coffee going.

I smiled and nodded my head. "Yup. Already. Do you know when you'll be home? You'll still be able to make it for Alice's little party thing tonight, right?"

"No idea, but you know I'll try my best. Have a fun day. I love you, baby." I turned to kiss him and quietly affirmed that I loved him too, then watched as he said goodbye to the kids in the living room across from the kitchen where I was now prepping breakfast.

After getting the waffle mix stirred, I made my coffee and waited for the waffle iron to heat up, then checked the clock on the microwave. It was almost seven, which meant I should have at least one more hour till Maddie would wake up. I peeked back into the living room and saw Bree and Aidan in a TV trance, so I decided to play my _Worst Mother of the Year _card, and left them there while I grabbed my sketch bag to sit out on the porch till my littlest princess woke up.

* * *

><p>Later that afternoon, once Alice and I got all the kids strapped in to their respected car seats, we were on our way. All that was left was deciding where in the world we were actually going.<p>

"Let us go to the merry-go-round at the park?" Bree instantly suggested, after Disneyland had been shot down for the forth time.

"No!" I yelped, a little too brashly. Alice looked at me clearly surprised by my tone and raised her brow. "Um, not today. We were just there last weekend. Let's do something we haven't done in a while." I quickly suggested, keeping my eyes on the road in front of us.

"Ice-cream, momma!" Maddie shouted out, forcing me to let out another exasperated sigh.

"Yes! Let us go see Bree-Bird! I haven't seen her since my return. Mr. Frankie needs a hello, too. I know he does. He's sure to have missed me. This is true, you know." Bree exclaimed.

It was true. I did know. The ice-cream man on the boardwalk had made me promise I would bring Bree by as soon as possible once she'd returned from her summer in India with her mother.

It was now a fifty-fifty chance I'd run into Garrett. I'd already shot down one of his places of employment. I couldn't really shoot down the other. Not without raising Alice's eye brow any higher and she was already looking as if she'd just had a sudden face lift after my last outburst.

My best friend always knew when something was up, and I've always disliked that little gift of hers.

"Okay. We can get ice-cream."

There was a round of excitement filled with 'hoorays' from the back of the SUV, and I smiled glancing in the rear view mirror to see Bree hopping up in down in her booster seat.

I could feel Alice studying me, "When does Jasper fly back?" I asked, making conversation with my best friend and praying I was doing a decent job at acting normal again.

"Next weekend. Thankfully, the band's almost all in to move out here permanently. Especially now that Sam is apparently head over heels for some girl he met out in Malibu."

"Oh yeah? Who's left holding them back then?"

Alice coughed nervously and shifted her weight in her seat.

"Spill it."

"I guess Leah isn't totally for it."

This news shocked me. Jake had made it seem like his fiancé was totally on board with the relocation when we had last talked.

"Wow… do I want to know why?" A part of me already knew why, but I'd done my best, and worked so hard at ignoring all of that, pushing it far far away from my reality.

"Oh, I don't know, maybe because her fiancé is still, and will always be, at least a little bit in l-o-v-e with y-o-u."

"Shut up, Alice."

"Hey! You asked!"

"No, mommy! Not nice! Bad word!" Maddie scolded me from the back seat over my usage of the '_s-word'_.

I apologized and took in a deep breath before squaring my shoulders behind the steering wheel. "I thought we were all doing better with that. Her and I… we've been talking so much lately. I really, really believed that she was finally past mine and Jake's history, especially now that he knocked her up and put a ring on her finger."

Alice laughed, shaking her head while looking straight at me. "Oh, Bella. Imagine what it would be like to be in love with E-d-w-a-r-d, all the while thinking he was still obsessed, and in love with J-a-n-e. It won't matter what he does. Even after they have the paper proof that they are indeed tied to each other, and no one else. She's always going to feel second best because let's face it… she always will be in his eyes."

"Okay, seriously? You're being ridiculous. J-a-k-e and I are good. It's been three years, Alice. Three years! He's seriously like a brother to me now. J-a-k-e and E-d-w-a-r-d are friends. Like, they talk at least once a week about nothing but what's going on in their lives. Things that have nothing to do with me. It's time for Leah to let go of the past. She's obviously the only person still holding on to it, and she wasn't even around for the worst of it!"

I was more than annoyed by Alice's revelation, so when we pulled into the parking lot in front of the pier I was already in a bothered mood, and itching to send Jake a text about his woman's insecurities. "Change of subject, I can't talk about this anymore without losing my temper." I warned with a low growl.

After parking the car, I jumped out to walk to the back so I could pull the large double stroller out, and load Maddie, and Aidan into their mobile seats. Much to Aidan's annoyance. He definitely preferred being able to walk freely, but when I had all three of them out with me, and with it being a Saturday afternoon on the busy boardwalk, it just wasn't an option for us today.

I rubbed some sun-screen on their faces and arms before swiftly pulling the canopy over their heads with an impetuous huff. "I mean really? What is she afraid of? That I'll wake up one morning and decide I want him back?" I couldn't help but laugh.

"I thought you said you couldn't talk about this anymore? I shouldn't have said anything." Alice pouted after helping Bree out of her seat.

I felt bad for making her feel guilty, so I quickly apologized, "No, I'm fine. It's fine. Eventually she'll see how ridiculous she's being. I'm just sorry she's getting in the way of you having Jasper out here permanently." I replied taking my best friends hand into my own to give it a loving squeeze.

She forced a smile and shrugged her shoulders.

"It will happen. This is the closest they've ever come to making the decision. And with them going back into the studio out here come fall… I at least know I'll have him here for a few weeks without him having to fly back and forth to the city _before_ their big European tour." Alice shared, looking unbelievably sad. I honestly didn't know how she did it. I would go crazy having to go days upon days, weeks upon weeks, on a monthly basis without Edward.

"It's going to happen. I can feel it. They'll make the decision before their studio time starts in a few weeks. Mark my words, Al."

My best friend smiled and nodded her head then leaned into me to bump my side with her hip as Bree ran along in front of us.

"She grew up so much over the summer."

I nodded, agreeing almost instantly, "Jane will be back… soon. Tanya's contract is up just before Thanksgiving and she's not signing on for another year out there." I shared with a sigh, "I'm not ready to have to share her though. I like having her with us all of the time. Even as crazy as she can make things. Without her… it just doesn't feel complete."

"It will all work out. Maybe Jane will come back a little less high maintenance and a little closer to the ground when it comes to her expectations of things, especially when it comes to _your _husband and the fact that she's married to someone with a v-a-g-i-n-a."

Jane and I had experienced a few minor… well; let's just refer to them as, 'highly heated shouting matches' just before she'd left for India the last time. Edward had insisted she was just going through some hard times.

Hard times, after finding out that she wasn't the only one having a difficult time maintaining a strictly monogamous relationship when it came to her marriage with Tanya.

In light of it all she'd kind of gone off the deep end with her random affairs, and I'd kind of gone off on her one night when I'd shown up to drop off Bree. I'd subsequently walked in on her in the middle of a human ice-cream Sundae experiment on her kitchen counter with a slightly familiar looking guy licking at her nipple covered in whipped cream, all while Bree had been standing right there by my side holding my hand.

_Ugh… not the mental picture I needed in my head minutes from ordering ice-cream at the stand on the pier. _

Bree went with Alice to place our order with Mr. Frankie. After getting the kids settled with their ice-cream cones, my phone began to buzz in my bag. I swiftly removed it and opened the text that had been sent to me from an unrecognizable number.

_Fancy seeing you here, Mrs. Swan-Cullen. Two days in a row… luck is on my side. Perhaps, I should buy a lotto ticket? _

My eyes lifted from the screen of my phone, and I quickly scanned my surroundings, already knowing who I would find.

And there it was.

That grin.

Those eyes.

Garrett waved with his phone still in his hand from where he sat on his stool, and I offered a slow nod of my head.

"Um… what the _hell, Swan?! WHO _is _that?!" _Alice snickered, obviously catching mine, and Garrett's less than subtle exchange.

"_That_, Alice, would be, Garrett. He sometimes draws portraits here, for money." I replied through clenched teeth, then redirected my stare to my children who were now clumsily stuffing their ice cream cones into their faces without a care in the world.

"The guy you're sharing your art show with?! Isabella Cullen! He is _effing _gorgeous!"

"Alice!" I snickered, praying that Bree was too engrossed in her ice-cream to be paying much attention to our actual conversation.

"What?! He is! We're married, Bell's, but we're not dead. It's okay to look and appreciate from a distance." My best friend insisted with a low whistle. "My God though, he is seriously pretty to look at," she added under her breath, just as Garrett began making his way towards us in his tattered jean shorts and navy blue tank top.

"Hello, Mrs. Cullen. Nice day for ice-cream." He greeted us with a slight bow of his head. I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms in front of me.

"Kids' choice." I bluntly informed him, and then glanced down at my tiny messy hooligans once more.

"Of course, I'm surprised they wouldn't choose a ride on the carousel though. Lucky for me, I had the day off, which brought me here instead."

I heard Alice gasp almost instantly.

_Splendid. _

"Garrett, this is my best friend,"

"Alice Brandon." He spoke up, interrupting me. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I love your show. I can proudly admit that I've been a diehard fan, tuning in every Thursday night at nine p.m. since your pilot episode." Garrett shared with a smirk, and then extended his hand out to shake my best friends. She laughed and closed the space between them to offer a swift hug instead.

"Any friend of Bella's, is a friend of mine."

I rolled my eyes and shifted my weight where we stood.

"So, this must be little Aidan, and Madison. They look just like you, but I can totally see Edward as well."

"Yeah, well… he _is_ their father after all," I snickered, watching him bend down to say hello to my children.

"They're gorgeous kids, Bella. Really,"

"Thank you. And I absolutely agree. So. Are you working? We don't want to keep you from making that gas money." I replied, with obvious discomfort in my tone.

I hated that. Why was I being so… so…

Cold?

Edward had given me his blessing. I was free to befriend and be civil, but here I was, acting as if he'd just made a pass at me in front of my best friend, and children.

_Relax, Bella. Jesus._

"It's okay, the end of the summer season brings fewer tourists, which brings less open wallets."

"I'll pay you for a portrait." Alice offered, smiling and batting her eye lashes in his direction. I rolled my own eyes and stifled a laugh.

"It would be my pleasure, but I refuse to take any money from you. Let me just go grab my stuff." Garrett replied before turning to head back towards his things on the other side of the boardwalk.

"Good God, his eyes, Bella! Have you seen how blue they are?!"

"Oh, hush. He's cute. I get it. Try to behave would you?" I snickered, before wiping off Madison's chin where some of her chocolate ice-cream had begun to drip down onto her shirt.

"Who is cute?" Bree suddenly asked, causing both Alice and I's eyes to lift in surprise. I panicked and scanned our nearby surroundings.

_Puppy!_

"That puppy over there! Isn't he cute?" I asked after spotting a tiny Yorkie being strolled down the boardwalk in its owner's pretentious doggie stroller.

_And you just lied to your stepdaughter. Way. To. Go._

"Is he any good?" Alice asked, after taking a seat beside me on the bench.

I let out a sigh and nodded my head, "Yeah. He is. Really good actually."

Once Garrett was back at our side, he and Alice got started in a conversation about the upcoming season of her vampire television show, so I slyly removed my phone from my bag to check for any messages from Edward. I smiled after seeing he had indeed sent me a text.

_Hey baby. Things have gone smoothly. I nailed my first scene on the third take. I should be out of here in time for Alice's party tonight. I already spoke to Mrs. Coupe. She's agreed to watch the kids for us in exchange of having Monday off. I can't wait to see you all dressed up – Stalker_

"And what did _Stalker_ have to say?" Alice's voice questioned, bringing me back to reality.

I smirked and took Aidan's dripping cone from his hand, after he'd extended it out towards me. He hated it when the melted ice-cream would start to drip onto his hands. For a boy, he certainly despised getting dirty.

"He'll be done on the set in time for your party tonight, and he's got the baby sister all lined up." I shared; tossing the messy ice-cream cone into the trash can beside our bench. I glanced over at Garrett, but he was busy with his eyes on his paper as his hand moved his pencil around on the page positioned in his lap.

"Garrett! Why don't you come tonight? You can meet some of our friends!" Alice yelped after clasping her hands together in front of her chest.

"Alice!" I snickered, and then shot her a warning glare.

"Come to your house? For a party? Tonight? I'm afraid I'd have nothing to wear. Bella's already seen me in my thrift store best, and I'm sure she can attest to its unflattering fit."

I impulsively giggled then covered my mouth over my embarrassment.

_Not. Nice. _

"See. I told you." Garrett replied, grinning at me now.

"Nonsense. You can borrow something of Jasper's if that's really your biggest concern. Just come by a little early, and you can help me set up."

I was in absolute shock over what I was hearing. My best friend was inviting a perfect stranger into her home to wear her husband's clothes. What parallel universe had I crossed over into? As soon as Garrett was gone she would be getting an earful from me.

Thankfully, I didn't have to wait too long for an excuse to end our little rendezvous.

"Mommy. Pee-pee!" Madison suddenly yelped, looking slightly panicked.

"Crap. We need to go find a bathroom, Alice."

"Here, all done." Garrett quickly let out, then tore the page from his book to hand it to my best friend.

"Holy cow! This is amazing! You're right, Bella, he is really good! Thanks Garrett! Jazz will love this! Here," I watched on as Alice grabbed Garrett's hand and scribbled her address down across the top of it with a pen she had pulled from her purse.

This was really going to happen.

"Be at my place around seven-thirty." She ordered, before shooting him a quick wink from her eye. He grinned, nodding his head before redirecting his stare back towards me.

"I guess I'll see you girls tonight."

"Yup, guess so." I muttered, then began pushing the twin's stroller, after prompting Bree to skip along in front of us. "I can't believe you did that." I snickered once we were safely out of his ear shot.

"What? I thought you two were friends. Why are you being so weird?" She asked, spinning around to walk backwards in front of me.

"We just met, Alice. We're hardly friends yet."

"We'll, I don't see what the big deal is. Besides, Angie is looking for a new boy toy. Maybe they'll hit it off, and then Edward wouldn't have to worry so much." Alice replied with a know-it-all smirk.

I looked at her with my mouth open.

She already knew why I was having a hard time with all of this.

"Oh, Bella. Stop acting so shocked. Of course Edward is feeling apprehensive about the two of you becoming further acquainted. Tonight I'll have to show him he has nothing to worry about. Garrett is good people. I can already sense that, and you know I'm always right about these kinds of things. Edward will see he has nothing to worry about, and in turn, you will feel less guilty over the fact that you want to spend time with someone who happens to have a p-e-n-i-s, but who isn't your husband."

"When did I say I wanted to spend time with him?" I snickered as we stepped into the bathroom so Maddie could use the potty like a big girl.

"You didn't have to say it. Look at this drawing! He's a really good artist, Bella. You know you can learn from him. I get that. Now stop feeling guilty about it. It's okay to have friends outside of our circle… but just in case… I'll go ahead and bring him into the circle to help you feel more at ease with it all. Well… really, it's to help Edward feel more at ease because I'm sure he's the one you're really worried about."

I rolled my eyes and quickly removed Maddie from the stroller, so I could walk her into the bathroom stall and help her onto the toilet while our conversation carried on over the panel wall. I could already hear Bree playing in the faucets on the other side of the room.

"Edward said he's fine with us hanging out."

"Then, there's no problem. Trust me honey. Tonight will be fun. I promise."

I huffed, shooting my hair out of my face from where I was now leaned over, helping my daughter wipe her bottom. "Fine, you're right. I'm over reacting. If I'm really going to do this, then Edward needs to absolutely be comfortable with him. So tonight is the perfect opportunity for that." I replied after reappearing outside of the bathroom stall with my little girls hand in my own.

Aidan had remained unusually quiet throughout all of this. I glanced over at him and found him leaned back smiling wildly with his eyes fixated on the lighting fixtures above us, waving his hands in front of his entranced face.

"Kid's good at entertaining himself." Alice toyed, and then rubbed the top of his head, breaking him from his fixation, but also causing him to yelp out in frustration over her interrupting him.

"He's about to crash from his sugar high. Let's get them home. Maybe he'll actually nap today for me."

Alice smiled as she nodded her head while quickly running over to Bree where she was still playing in the water of one of the large sinks. "Let us go, Princess Bree! We must make haste to the castle by the sea!"

My stepdaughter giggled, and swiftly turned off the faucet to place her wet hand into her Aunt Alice's, "Off we go then." She replied looking past my best friends face, and up towards the ceiling of the bathroom where the florescent lights were buzzing above us.

Alice and I smiled at one another, and I quickly fastened Maddie back into her stroller seat so we could head out to the parking lot.

I was feeling a little less anxious about tonight now, but only time would tell if Alice was indeed right about this being the right move when it came to Edward and Garrett becoming more acquainted with one another. I wanted them to get along, because I really did think I could learn a lot from Garrett.

By the end of this evening, I would hopefully have all the answers I would need when it came to whether or not it would really be possible for our lives to intertwine, without it causing any waves in the perfect life I already had.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: So a lot kind of happened in this chapter. Edward's new career path... some revelations about Jake and his (possible) lingering feelings for Bella, Jane and Bella's falling out, and Alice pushing Bella towards her pending friendship with Garrett, the nomad artist. What are we thinking about all of this?**

**Next chapter is done and will be almost entirely EPOV. ;)**

**See you next week.**

***Reviews make me smile. (and I could use a smile after dropping, and busting my brand new lap top on the damn tile floor this past weekend!)***


	5. Tantrums Distractions & Interruptions

_Disclaimer: Twilight and its characters belong to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended with the posting of this story. Stalker, his Care Bear, Princess Bree, and the twins belong to me though. Please respect._

**A/N: Major thanks once again to my amazing beta's, **myonlyheroin and taylowendy. I *heart* you girls!****

_****I'd like to dedicate this chapter to a friend of mine who left us suddenly last week after battling years of addiction. Brandon... Thunderblast... the memories I have of you will live on forever. Our Twilight talks/debates, watching you destroy sets on your drum kit, your complements on my knitting skills while I'd watch you guys practice, or record in the studio. Talking to you about my writing back when I first started Two Makes Three when you guys would practice at our house and I'd be typing away on my lap top, our trips to the land of nothingness when we were young and naive, your crazy dinosaur that lived in your bedroom, falling asleep on your bed with about 4-6 other people during our horror movie marathons. Our road trips and the countless shows you played with my husband as a member of Soothsayer, and All My Friends Are Dying... I will treasure those memories forever, Brandon. Because of you my span of friends grew. Because of you epic music was created and adored. I know you're no longer hurting. Every time a thunderstorm rolls through and I hear the crashes and booms falling from the sky, I'll always smile imagining it's you rocking out from above with drumsticks in your hands and your feet pressed firmly on your pedals rolling out some epic double bass. Until we meet again, rest in peace friend.****_

****Sorry for the emo-ness... not much of that in the chapter, I promise. *wink* Let's get to it then. ****

* * *

><p><strong>Tantrums Distractions &amp; Interruptions<strong>

**Chapter 5**

**_^Edward^_**

Before I'd even entered my house, I could already hear Bree throwing one of her epic tantrums. I grimaced, realizing that Bella was having to deal with it all on her own. I felt instant guilt sweep over me, for having been gone the entire day. It was almost eight. This meant we would be late for Alice's party. It also meant I would be walking in to some dirty looks from my girl, so the added tantrum from Bree, would just be the icing on the cake.

It was extra shitty because I'd had an amazing first day on set. I was still riding the high off of it all, and I'd been looking forward to sharing my excitement with Bella. I knew better than to do that now though. She wouldn't want to hear about my epic day. Not when Bree was convulsing on the floor, kicking and screaming her head off over God knows what.

As soon as I was inside, I had Maddie running towards me with a very concerned look on her face. "Sissy hit Momma, Dada. Not nice!"

_Splendid. Even better than I had hoped._

"It's okay, sweetie. Go play in your room." I told my little girl, after peeking through their door to see Aidan sitting in the corner with his dinosaurs lined up in front of him, seemingly oblivious to the chaos going on in the house.

I got Madison set up with her dolls and tea set, and then kissed the top of her head before quickly making my way towards Bree's room where she was still screaming bloody murder.

I could hear her shouting something about a red crayon touching her blue shoes?

Bella was completely still, sitting on the edge of Bree's bed, watching my daughter while she threw herself over, and over again into her oversized bean bag chair resting in the corner of the room.

I noticed the blood on Bella's lip right away and grimaced.

Yet another battle scare brought on by my imperfect-perfect princess.

I made my way towards her, and kneeled down at her knees to cup her face in my hands.

"It's nothing. She didn't mean to. I came up and startled her after she'd started her fit. She swung her hand up and caught me right in the mouth. She's got a good little right hook." Bella shared with a forced smile. Her lip was swollen and her eyes obviously puffy from the tears she'd allowed to fall past her lashes.

"Oh, baby. I'm so sorry. What's it over?" I asked, softly brushing her bottom lip with my thumb as she looked down at me with a quiet sigh.

"She was coloring in here… the best I can make of it, the red crayon accidentally crossed over onto the blue she had colored the shoes on the Cinderella page I had printed out for her. It was my fault. I should have taken all the red and orange crayons away. I know how she gets with them when it's Cinderella." Bella replied, and then redirected her stare back towards Bree who was now huffing and puffing in the corner of the room with her back to us, and her tiny fists clenched at her sides.

Bree was very particular about only using shades of blue, green, silver, purple, and light yellows, when it came to Cinderella.

Just another quirk in her bag of quirky Bree behaviors.

"Does it hurt?" I asked, forcing her to look me in the eyes again.

She shook her head and smiled, "No. It doesn't. I just want her to calm down. I hate seeing her like this, and I've tried everything." She admitted with sadness in her tone. I kissed her forehead, and nodded my head.

"Go get dressed. I'll take care of Bree, then get myself changed. Call Mrs. Coupe and let her know she can head over in fifteen minutes to start her babysitting shift. Bree will be fine. I promise." I assured her, and then helped her up from the twin sized Princess themed bed and gave her a light push towards the opened door.

She looked defeated, but it was a battle that couldn't have been won. Some things were still up to daddy. This of course only increased my guilt, because that meant I really should have been here in order to calm the situation before it escalated to the point where Bella would suffer the consequences, _physically_.

It only took me a few minutes to settle Bree down, once I'd turned some classical music on, and dimmed the lights a little. Without speaking, I approached her and gently took her into my arms to rock our bodies on the floor while I hummed one of her favorite Disney songs softly into her ear. Once she was calm, she looked up towards my face and smiled as if she'd been gone on a long trip and was just seeing me for the first time, in a very long time.

Those looks… they always made sense, because when Bree had one of her tantrums, it truly did seem as though she'd left us, and those awful fits always did feel as though they'd lasted an eternity.

She was back though, and that was all that mattered now.

I left her coloring again in her room, minus her red crayon, with the slow calming music still playing from her princess stereo at the top of her dresser.

After closing her bedroom door, I made my way into our master bedroom and found Bella sitting in a daze at her vanity mirror. She hadn't even noticed that I'd entered the room. Bella jumped in her chair when I'd pulled her hair back from around her shoulder, so I'd be able to kiss her neck.

"Are you okay?"

She nodded her head slowly, and then leaned herself into me. "Yeah, just ready to check out for the night," she admitted with a soft sigh.

"Well, it's a good thing we're going to one of Alice's parties then. I demand that you let yourself go tonight. And by 'go', I mean you better need me to carry you across the yard back home, Care Bear." I insisted, creating an easy smile across her lips.

"It's been a while since I've been able to just, _let go_." She admitted bashfully. "Jesus, I can't even remember the last time. Not that I mind. I'm really not complaining. Some days are just harder than others."

"Bella, you're twenty-five. You're allowed to want to go out and have some fun without feeling guilty about it. Now, come on. Finish getting dressed. We're going to go get you white girl wasted."

"I'm practically twenty-six, Edward." she corrected me. I could tell by her smirk that my plans for her immediate future this evening had briefly excited her.

_Mission accomplished._

I knew it was what she needed though. After an evening without responsibility, she would be feeling her old self again come tomorrow afternoon.

I say afternoon, because I already knew I'd be letting her sleep off her hangover in the morning.

"How was your day? Was it amazing? Did you shock the hell out of them with your natural, mad acting skillz, Mr. Cullen?" Bella asked, briskly changing the subject. I smiled and nodded my head before making my way to the closet to find a fresh pair of pants and shirt.

"I think I might have. They were literally sitting with their mouths hanging open when I nailed my second scene on the first try. Apparently, I really am a natural." I replied, hiding my smug smile with my back to her. She was wrapped around me in seconds, hanging from my back and kissing my neck in attack.

"I knew you would. I can't wait to see the final product, Edward! It's going to be surreal seeing you on the big screen, but I really am so excited!" She shared beside my ear, and then slowly lowered herself and her feet back to the ground.

"Thanks, baby. I just want to make you proud. I hope you know that. Everything I do, I do it while thinking about you and our family."

"Of course, I know that! And of course, I'm going to be proud of you. You've never done anything but make me proud, Edward Cullen." She affirmed after leaning in to kiss my cheek. She spun herself from my grasp and made her way to our bed to slip on the dress she'd had laying out on top of the mattress.

As long as I played my cards right, in a few hours time, her minor battle with Bree would be a distant memory.

Not until I accomplished that, would I be able to forgive myself for not having been here for her when she had needed me.

* * *

><p>When we arrived next door to Alice's house, the music was loud, and the atmosphere was amped. This certainly wasn't your typical small dinner gathering. This was more like a night in the V.I.P room at the club with a few close friends.<p>

Bella looked absolutely stunning in her short, skin tight black cocktail dress. She'd pulled her hair back into a slicked high pony tail, and her red painted lips were begging me to take her into the nearest dark room to have my way with her mouth. I could sense though, that she was still feeling slightly jittered from Bree's little tiff at the house. Because of that, I wouldn't push my apparent obsession to have her mouth against mine until after she'd had the chance to calm herself with the help of some booze in a red plastic Solo cup.

"Let's get you a drink." I suggested, and then took her by the hand to lead her towards the bar. She smiled and nodded her head, allowing me to pull her around the counter top and bar stools, so I'll be able to fix her a cranberry and vodka on the rocks. "Relax, baby. We're out. We're here to have a good time." I remind her, then bring the drink to her lips. She takes two solid gulps and reaches up to take the plastic cup from my hand, all the while maintaining our locked stare, and hiding a smile behind her eyes.

"Hey, you two! It's about time you got here! I was about to walk over and see what was taking you so long." Alice scolded, after appearing beside us to drawl Bella in for a tight hug.

"Oh my God! What happened to your lip?!"

Bella grimaced and then reached up to gently touch her swollen mouth, "Bree had one of her episodes, and I was standing a little too closely." She answered, then forced a half smile, "Just another job hazard. I'm fine. Really!"

"Oh, honey! I'm so sorry for pestering you about being late. You really haven't missed much." Alice replied then took my wife's hands to her lips to firmly kiss them. "Was she better by the time you left?"

"Yeah, Edward worked his daddy magic, and she calmed down right away." Bella answered with another forced smile that felt like a damn dagger in my side.

_Once again Cullen, you should have fucking been there._

"Well good. Now you can relax and unwind. Help yourself to some food. I'll come find you in a bit, and if you don't seem to be having a good time, I'll have to force you into the hot tub with me. Sans cloths." Alice warned my girl with a wink of her eye. Bella smiled, nodded her head, and then looked back up towards me as she raised her cup to her lips to take another long gulp from its rim. I watched her swallow it down hard, then close her eyes in bliss, enjoying the buzz that was starting to settle in.

Bella was right. It had been a while since she had been able to unwind outside of our homes protective walls. She always tried to stay clear of throwing back liquor between her perfect lips under our roof, aside from the occasional glass of wine. After Bree's little outburst though, I knew she was looking to numb her senses, and I was more than ready to play chaperone this evening.

I watched on, while she downed the last of her drink, and smiled at the sight of her obvious relaxed state as it slowly spread in across her bare shoulders and down her body. She was feeling much better now. It was apparent, and my dick was twitching over the realization that soon I'd be able to sneak her into one of the back rooms of the house for a little mind numbing. Courtesy of my hands, mouth, and cock. I knew it would be her truest cure all, and I was already anticipating what the end of the night could and would bring.

She scanned the room with her eyes and I watched silently while she went from person to person, examining them top to bottom, before moving on to the next fake smile and phony persona. She smiled, noticing some of the more familiar faces, but would always return her gaze back to me, where her grin would double under my watchful eyes. Then, without saying a word, she'd casually shift her weight to kiss my lips softly with her own and go back to scouting the area.

I could feel her grimace with the first few kisses. The cut on her bottom lip was obviously going to be a nuisance this evening, but she was determined to ignore it and push though the discomfort.

That made me smile.

Smile, and also want to move up my plans for taking her into the guest bedroom and bending her over in front of me. She just looked so unbelievable in that dress and those heels. The sight of her was driving me absolutely insane in the best of ways, and when she smiled… Jesus.

She owned every part of me with her smile.

I suddenly noticed she had stopped her casual room scan and had settled in on someone particular. I followed her gaze and narrowed my eyes after realizing who it was that had captured her attention.

Mr. Nomad himself.

Garrett, the art-ist.

Garrett, the art-ist slash, homeless guy.

Garrett, the art-ist slash, homeless guy, who was apparently finding ways to position himself firmly into my wife's life.

_What kind of fucks is he doing here? _

"Oh! I forgot to tell you, Alice invited Garrett. We ran into him at the boardwalk earlier." Bella shared, having obviously noticed that I'd noticed where her stare had settled.

"You ran into him _again_ today?"

This news… it was a bit much for me to accept. The ostensible randomness of it all. Let's just say things were starting to seem a little less random to me, and my Stalker senses were tingling.

"He draws portraits there, for money, on the boardwalk. The kids… they wanted ice-cream, so we went, and he happened to be there." Bella calmly explained after stepping up to the bar again. I watched her slowly refilled her drink to its rim before raising the plastic cup to her parted lips again almost finishing it's contents in three gulps.

I redirected my stare back towards her new friend and narrowed my eyes.

After taking a sip from my own drink, I brought her in up against me and kissed her neck before bringing my lips to her ear, "Slow down, baby. We just got here. The night is young." I warned with a smirk, and then gently kissed her lips. "I've already vowed to carry you home, but if I go to bed without having my way with you first, well, I'd be going to go to bed a _very_ disappointed man."

She smiled bashfully and nodded her head. "I just needed to play catch up. I promise to behave this evening, until you get me home anyways. Once we're all alone, I can make no promises about my behavior." She replied with a slight smirk, before running her hand down my chest to rest her grasp at my belt buckle, and give it a firm tug towards her center. "Me personally? Well, I think you'll really enjoy me misbehaving _just_ a little." She added with an even wider grin before casting me a suggestive wink from her eye.

"Have I told you how badly I want to take you down the hallway and have my way with you right _now_?" I questioned, knowing it would create a slight puddle between her legs.

"Don't tease me, Stalker."

"Who's teasing?" I challenged, and then casually ran my palm across her cheek bone to raise her face upward so I'd be able to bring her lips back to mine as I pressed her gently into the wall we'd been standing next to. My girl moaned against my mouth as she brought her own hands into my hair to give it a firm tug, effortlessly creating an even stronger desire within me to sneak away from this crowded room, with her very soon.

"I seriously still can't believe I'm married to a real live _MOVIE_ star." She toyed before grazing my bottom lip with her pointer finger. She then traced her isolated digit down my sternum towards my belt buckle again and pressed herself back into me to hide the grasp she'd playfully established between my legs on my slightly erect cock.

"Sh. Quiet you," I warned with a smirk, leaning down to meet her hungry lips once more with my own. She grimaced at first, the pain obviously still fresh from the blow Bree had unleashed on her. Within seconds though, she was putty in my arms and I was grasping at her hip and the swell of her back to keep her firmly pressed against me.

"I love you so much." She whispered, her eyes closed, and her body still tightly positioned between me and the wall.

"And I you, Bella. _My_, Bella." I promised her, just as Emmett appeared at our side.

"Jesus, Fuck! You two are like crack addicts. I swear to GOD! It's been what?! Three years? We get it, you're obsessed. Stop making the rest of us look like pathetic little lust less shits, Cullen!" My best friend demanded, then slapped my shoulder hard with his opened hand. I shrugged him off of me and brought Bella in under my arm, then kissed her temple before reaching down to playfully grab at her ass with the palm of my hand.

That's when I noticed who Emmett had brought along with him from across the room.

"Bella. Edward." Garrett greeted us, and then extended his arm out to shake my hand. I forced a smile and returned my arm over Bella's shoulder as soon as he'd released his grasp from around my hand.

"Hi, Garrett," Bella spoke up first, before leaning herself into me a little deeper. She took a sip from the drink she had retrieved off the counter top, and I felt my eyes once again narrow over the sight of Garrett ogling my wife's flawlessness in her tight formfitting dress.

"I hope you don't mind my saying so, but your wife looks amazing tonight, Edward."

I raised my brow on impulse and nodded my head while deciding how best to respond to his compliment. "Yup, it's hard for her to ever look anything _less_ than amazing."

Bella laughed lightly and patted my chest with her hand, "I'm going to go say hi to Rose and Zafrina." I nodded my head and watched her go. Her gorgeous ass moving above her legs in her high stiletto heels. My dick pulsed in my pants over the sight of her as she moved further and further away from me.

"So, how'd it go on set today man? You were supposed to text me!" Emmett asked, bringing me down from my Bella booty trance.

"Yeah, sorry. I got home late, and Bree was having one of her tantrums. It went great though. I only have a few scenes left to shoot during the next week."

"Scenes?" Garrett asked, joining the conversation. I glanced at him with a slight sneer escaping past my lips, then nodded my head.

"I'm doing a movie, just a small part." I explained, before taking a solid gulp from my drink.

"Wow! That's pretty exciting, right? Or does shit like that happen all the time out here in Hollywood?"

I laughed and shook my head, "No, the opposite really. I read some lines with one of my clients during his audition. When they decided to pass on him, they offered me the roll instead."

"Lucky break! Bella must be excited." Garrett replied, seemingly genuine with his response.

"She was... pretty surprised."

"Uh, yeah she was! I'm damn surprised she didn't give you a hard time about it! You know she hates the inner workings of this town and it's bright lights!" Emmett boomed with a chuckle, and then slapped my shoulder again. I smirked and nodded my head, absolutely aware that he was right. It was the gods honest truth that my girl wasn't totally thrilled about my sudden change in career paths. I knew that. But she hadn't demanded I not take the part, which had been good because I'd already signed the contract last night with the casting director before coming home to tell her about my random opportunity.

"I'm a lucky man." I shared, and then spotted Bella across the room laughing with our friends and looking more glamorous than any movie star you might ever see on a red carpet.

"Without a doubt, bro! It's a good thing James agreed to lighten your load yesterday morning! Talk about perfect timing."

"Yup. Everything happens for a reason," I replied, smiling at Emmett.

"I'm actually a firm believer in that myself." Garrett added with a soft laugh, then excused himself to go get a beer from the cooler across the room. I kept my eyes on him as he walked away with his hands stuffed in his pockets, and then redirected my attention back on my best friend who was shaking his head at me.

"What?"

"He actually seems like a good guy. I know you said you don't trust him, but you should give him a chance, especially now that you gave Bella the okay to befriend him."

I looked at Emmett and instantly wondered where the fuck this 'trust' bull shit was coming from.

"I mean, dude, she's never given you a hard time about hanging out, wining and dining, and mingling with gorgeous female movie stars. Lord knows you've had plenty of opportunity to fuck around on her, multiple times. You need to trust that she will treat your relationship the same way, man. It's okay for her to have a friend with a dick, especially a friend she can do her art shit with. I really don't think he's stupid enough to try anything. Alice seems to have apparently taken him under her wing."

I'd already known opening up to my best friend this morning on my way into the set had been a bad idea. Now, because I had, he _apparently_ felt entitled to tell me everything I already knew, but didn't really want to hear.

"It would help his cause if he didn't share a name with the same mother fucker who Jane likes to spread her legs for when she was supposed to have been home visiting Bree during her trips back from India." I muttered, sounding like a pansy little shit.

"Oh… yeah… I'd totally forgotten about that asshole. She's really still hooking up with that lawyer on the side?"

I nodded my head and let out a huff, "Yeah, Bella even walked in on them right before Jane took Bree for the summer. It's fucked up, and his wife doesn't deserve it."

"Not your problem though. Jane might be Bree's mom, but she's not your problem, Edward. Now, back to your _actual_ possible problem, did Bella tell you _this_ Garrett was going to be here tonight?"

"Nope, granted things were a little chaotic when I'd gotten home. He seems to be popping up though, all over the place these days." I spat out, and then downed the last of my second drink.

Emmett laughed and shook his head, "Just keep in mind everything, and everyone, in both your professional and personal life, that Bella has had to deal with over the last three years. You got lucky. Once he woke up from that damn coma, realizing what a douche he'd turned into, Jake turned out to be an okay guy. You have no reason to think Bella would ever let anything happen with some guy who lives in his damn van, Edward. Just relax, and try getting to know him. If you guys are buddies, then the idea of him and Bella spending time together, well it probably wouldn't worry you so much anymore. Not that I think you need to worry now. I'm just saying. Bro-code! He would have to live by it."

I smiled, realizing how much sense Emmett was and was _not_ making. "Fair enough, I won't write him off just yet, everyone deserves a chance. Come on, let's go start a game of pool." I suggested, hoping for an easy end to the conversation we were sharing and thankful when he took the hint.

* * *

><p>It was getting late, but I knew Bella wasn't ready to go home. It had been quite awhile since I'd seen her so relaxed and just enjoying herself. Even if she had spent a lot of the evening talking with Garrett and Alice. It had, in turn allowed me the opportunity to sit and get to know her newest friend.<p>

It killed me only a little that Emmett had apparently been right.

Garrett did seem like an okay guy, and as the night wore on, he had definitely crossed over onto my good side. We didn't have much in common, but we did both enjoy the same movies, and he seemed genuinely interested in my line of work.

"So, seriously though, is Victoria Rachelle as amazing to look at in person as she is on the big screen? I mean she is fucking hot, bro!" Garrett asked with wide eyes after leaning in closer to me, once Bella and Alice had walked off to get another drink refill.

"She's a gorgeous woman, but unfortunately her personality starts to eat away at that fact rather quickly."

"I had a feeling. I mean beautiful people like that usually come voided of any and all other human like traits," Garrett replied, with a smirk. I laughed and nodded my head because it was the absolute truth. It was probably the very first thing I'd learned when I started working in the movie industry and taking on clients. You had to treat these people like toddlers more often than not. If they ever heard the word 'no', all hell would break loose, and you would spend the next week trying to make things better with other distractions and 'pretty things'.

"It's got to be so crazy, to really get to know the real person behind all the lights and headlines."

"You'd be surprised." I replied, shaking my head in agreement.

"Well, if you ever need a new assistant, I'm totally available! I'm sure it would beat loading snotty nosed, sticky fingered kids onto a carousel all day." Garrett shared, seemingly sincere with his offer.

"I'll definitely keep that in mind. We might have a temp spot opening up pretty soon. I'll have to talk to James and let you know."

Yeah, he was in under my good graces now, and I had definitely had more than enough to drink tonight.

"I'm going to go use the bathroom." Bella suddenly whispered beside my ear after appearing between Garrett and I. "Let's just say if I'm not back in three minutes, you should come find me." She added with a smirk, then kissed my cheek, letting her mouth linger against my skin for a few extra seconds.

Her words had me instantly counting to sixty, three times, in my head.

Alice joined us and bumped me with her hip playfully before pinching my arm and pointing her finger in my direction, "You! I still can NOT believe you're going to be in Val Torie's new movie. You know I killed myself to get a part in that film and you just land a roll, without even doing a formal audition. When will your luck run dry, Cullen?" Bella's best friend asked, slurring her speech with every other word while leaning into me unsteadily.

I laughed and shrugged my shoulders, "Hopefully, not 'till the day I die."

She rolled her eyes then crossed her arms in front of her to redirect her stare onto Garrett. "So Gar, honey, tell me about Tennessee. Is it true that people there still make their own moonshine and marry their cousins?"

I stifled a laugh and cast Garrett a regretful glance, knowing that Alice was about to go off on one of her insane drunken rants that usually involved an episode of Jerry Springer she had once seen. "I'll leave you two to talk. I'm going to go use the bathroom." I told them, excusing myself so I could go find my girl somewhere at the other end of the house, hopefully in a dark room already waiting for me with her panties around her ankles.

"Pft. Bathroom. Right! Lies!" I heard Alice yelp after me. I waved my hand out in the air without turning around and quickened my pace.

The guest bedroom door was already ajar.

I pushed it further open and slid my body through the doorway, then slowly closed it behind me. She was standing in front of the window, the moonlight outlining her perfect figure as her hand reached out with her pointer finger gesturing for me to come closer.

"It's about time."

"Sorry, Alice happened," I started to explain, but she instantly hushed me by pressing her hand to my parted lips. I carefully ran the tip of my tongue across her opened palm and smiled after her knees trembled beneath her. Bella instantly reacted the only way she knew how, and attacked my face with her mouth. Her hands and fingers latched onto the hair at the back of my head, drawing me into her with such need, such force, for a moment I worried she may have knocked the breath from her lungs.

"You're drunk, Care Bear." I whispered against the side of her temple, as her teeth begin to nibble and suck at my neck. Her hands pulled my shirt from my body to give her access to my belt buckle, and I released a loud moan, anticipating her fingers grasping at my swollen cock in ways only she knew how.

"Maybe I am. Wonder how that happened? What'ev's. I thought it was allowed this evening?" she questioned with a devious smirk, then slowly ran the tip of her tongue along the outside of my ear while her fingers slid past the top of my pants and into my boxers.

"Fuck baby, of course it was allowed. But," I swiftly moved my right hand down to grasp at her wrists and purposely raise her arms straight above her head, then pushed her backwards firmly into the wall. I lower my left hand to the space between her thighs and feel my dick pulse over the feel of her bare, smooth skin against my opened palm, "_First_, Bella. _My_ Bella. I want to touch you. I want to know how excited you already are. I want you to tell me how excited, how wet, I make you, just thinking about what I'm going to do to your body." I demanded, as my grasp pulsed at her thigh to slowly spread her legs further apart beneath her.

I brought my lips to the nape of her neck and waste no time continuing my meticulous path with my teeth. My hands move upward, between her legs, to cup her dampened pussy in my palm. I caressed its slicked surface with my fingers, causing my dick to rise further in my pants. She withers from pleasure, gently pressing herself downward just above my fingertips. I could feel her moistness coat the skin at the tips of my digits and release an impulsive growl over the effect it has on my need to take her completely.

"Dammit, Bella. It's a good thing the music is loud, because I'm going to have you screaming in about thirty seconds." I warned before returning my teeth to her neck. I suck and bite, just hard enough to bring soft moans from between her trembling lips, and maybe, possibly, leaving a mark or two on her fair skin. I'm not worried about leaving a mark. Hell, I want to. From the sounds of her moans she wants the same, so I continue my animalistic quest without hesitation, without backing down. Reveling in the way her body's moving above my hand and under my lips, as I explored every inch of her clavicle with my teeth and every throbbing section of her wet opening between her legs with my pulsing finger tips.

My freed arm made its way to the bottom of her dress; I lift the smooth tight material higher up her thighs and around her waist to press myself into her black lace thong. She pushed herself downward, further into my working hand and begs me to fuck her with my fingers. I wanted this to last though. We didn't get many nights like this anymore. These were the nights that would bring smiles to our eyes when we would silently stare at one another from across the dinner table, while the kids created chaos with their food fights and ridiculous rants. These were the moments that would help block out all the bullshit of everyday life, and let us just be one, in our own little bubble. Even if those stolen moments lost in our lust filled memories lasted for only a few seconds… Those seconds would be our saving grace when life started to pile up and bear down on us.

I moved my fingertips past her panties again, after having raised them to my mouth to taste her on my tongue, and graze her clit slowly, heedfully, and purposely. I made sure to cover my fingers in her natural juices before gently sliding my pointer and middle digits up deeply inside of her. She moans and latches onto the back of my neck, lifting her left leg up to hitch it around my hip, granting me even more access to push my fingers deeper inside of her before my mouth once again collides with hers. Our tongues move, and our lips dance with such passion I swear, if I'm not careful, she's going to cum over my hand in seconds.

"Fuck," she moans against my mouth, "Don't stop, Stalker. You're so fucking amazing. Your hand knows every part of me that craves to have you. Jesus! Don't stop!" She swirls her hips over my palm and I continue to rock her forward and backwards with my fingers, as they move in and out of her with pure precision. Every few seconds circling her sopping wet clit with my pointer digit, just the way she likes, and eliciting wild lust filled moans from her partially parted lips as she drawls her head back teetering on ecstasy.

"I want to taste more of you on my mouth, Bella."

"Then get on your knees, _Edward_." She immediately commands, bringing an instant grin to my face over the sound of her assertiveness. I'd just removed my hand from her opening, and was drawing it out from between her legs, while getting down onto my knees before her, when a wave of light came into the bedroom, cascading across us like a goddamn demon. It was so bright I couldn't make out the face that had interrupted our lust filled moment, but Bella was absolutely livid.

"NO! Are you serious?! GET OUT!" She shouted, covering her face in embarrassment, then fell forward into my arms giggling after the door slammed shut again and the return of darkness submerged the room.

"It's the ally way all over again." She moaned, shaking her head under my chin after I'd wrapped my arms around her, to ensure she stayed upright.

I laughed, knowing the exact memory she was referring to.

I'd surprised her that night at a club during her first trip out here with Alice. We'd only just met, but after watching her get hit on by several guys at the bar, without her knowing I was there, watching, I'd gone to her and asked her to join me outside. She'd thrown herself into my arms almost immediately that night behind the club and I was moments away from entering her with my fingers for the very first time ever, when a damn dog barked interrupting us, ruining our inaugural, _'I don't give a fuck where we are, I want you, and I want you now, moment'_. We'd parted ways that night without either of us getting off, and I'd subsequently returned to my damn hotel room to use up an entire bottle of Jerkins hand lotion on my pissed off dick.

"Don't you worry, Care Bear, I'm still going to taste you on my mouth tonight." I assured her, then without warning, I bit at the nape of her neck again, causing her knees to tremble one last time before I suggested we head home to insure we wouldn't be interrupted again.

"Fine, but you're carrying me, just like you promised." She toyed, and then smoothed her dress down to its correct position. I smiled and nodded my head, already craving to have her in my arms again after she'd begun to make her way towards the door, leaving me behind.

"I'll meet you out there. I'm going to wash up." I teased, then waved my fingers in the air before saluting them at my temple. She giggled and shook her head bashfully after blowing me a kiss from her hand.

She was gone, and I felt happiness engulf me, "You're a lucky man, Cullen. Unfucking-believably lucky." I reminded myself out loud, then turned to head into the bathroom to lather my hands with soap and water.

* * *

><p><strong>~*Bella*~<strong>

After being so rudely interrupted in Alice's guestroom, I left Edward behind so he'd be able to calm himself down, and went in search of the party's hostess. It was time for my husband and I to head home, so we'd be able to finish where we'd been forced to leave off.

I saw Alice talking to Angie, someone who annoyed me beyond belief, especially when I was feeling more than buzzed, so I stayed back and leaned myself up against the wall in the corner of the room. I touched my lips with my fingers, while I replayed the moment I had just experienced with Edward at the end of the hallway in the dark room of my best friends ridiculously crowded house.

I'd known all along there was a chance someone could walk in and catch us. That's what had made it so much fun though, so it was hard to stay mad. Sexually frustrated, however, was completely justified, hence why I was in desperate need to be carried across the lawn in my husband's arms back to our house and into our own bedroom.

I crossed my arms for a moment, and then started to pull on my pony tail in front of my shoulder, before my eyes began to people watch while I waited for my turn to say goodnight to my BFF. I was still feeling a bit unsteady on my feet, so I slipped out of my heels and reached down to hold them in my hands in front of me, just as Garrett appeared by my side.

The grin.

It was back.

"Sorry about that." He stated, looking a bit embarrassed for once, which was totally unlike him.

"About what?"

"Um… walking in on you guys a few minutes ago… Alice said I could stay with her. I mean, she offered up her guestroom until I find myself a real place. You know, so I could sleep in a real bed and shower regularly again. I was just looking to drop my stuff off in the room and get settled. I didn't expect to walk in on… well… yeah. Sorry."

"Oh. Was that you? You're lucky you walked in when you did. Ten seconds more and who knows what you would have seen." I admitted, without even thinking.

_Inappropriate, Bella._

"Hm, well… in that case, I'm not so sure luck was on my side this time."

I glanced up into his eyes and felt my cheeks flush instantly.

"Behave, Garrett." I warned, but was unable to mask my smirk.

_Stupid liquor invading my head! _

He grinned, obviously noticing my crumbling wall, and shrugged his shoulders. "Sorry. One of my biggest down falls is my impulsive honesty, Bella."

We stood there starring at one another for a few awkward seconds until I snapped myself out of our shared trance. I cleared my throat, and pushed my body away from the wall, "So you're staying _here_ then? At Alice's? That's awfully nice of my best friend... _and_ her _husband_."

"Yeah, I mean, I've actually had quite a few offers tonight. You're friends have all been very… nice. They all seem pretty eager to help out the poor homeless guy." He replied with another bashful smile.

"And you chose Alice, instead of one of my _single_ friends?" This news didn't sit well with me. Not even in my tipsy state.

"Well, yeah. Especially after I learned you live right next door. It will make finding time to sketch together that much simpler."

"Right. Well… same rules go for my friend. She's happily married." I informed him, crossing my arms in front of me. Garrett laughed and nodded his head then shot me a thumbs up from his hand.

"Understood, _boss_. Well, I'm going to go retire for the night. I have to work in the morning. I guess I'll see you around."

"Seems that you will. Goodnight, Garrett." I answered, with a returned impulsive smirk escaping past my lips. He grinned and gave my arm a gentle squeeze with his hand just as Edward appeared a few feet away from us.

"See yah, Edward."

"Yeah. Goodnight, Garrett." My husband answered back with a confused look on his face after Garrett walked past him with a duffle bag in his hand to head towards the back of the house where the guestroom was located.

"Apparently, Alice has offered him a place to stay." I told him, creating an even more baffled expression on his face.

"And Jasper is cool with that?"

I shrugged my shoulders and wrapped my arms around my husband's waist to nuzzle my head into his chest, "I guess so. Let's go home. Our bed is calling to me."

"No sleep till I have you calling out my name though, baby. Remember?" He teased without missing a beat.

I looked up into his eyes and felt my body relax under his stare. The way he looked at me, it always made me feel as if I were the only person in a crowded room. "Well, that shouldn't be a very difficult task to complete, Stalker." I giggled, and then grabbed his hand to quickly pull him towards the front door.

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><p><strong>AN: Lots to digest there. Garrett has impeccable timing doesn't he? WTH is Alice thinking? The mysterious art-ist seems to have won everyone over for the moment. Will it last? **

***Please review! It makes my day. I'll also say thank you with an outtake from the party... I haven't decided of what yet, but feel free to let me know what you would like more of when you leave your review and I will take everyones suggestions into consideration.***

**It will probably be a little longer than a week for the next update. I wasn't able to do much writing this past week, given the circumstances, my head has been a foggy mess but thankfully this chapter had already been completed before receiving the news about my friends passing. I promise to post again as soon as possible though. Hopefully it won't be much longer than 12 days. Till next time! **


	6. Happenings

_Disclaimer: Twilight and its characters belong to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended with the posting of this story. Stalker, his Care Bear, Princess Bree, and the twins belong to me though. Please respect._

**A/N: Hi again! You'll start to get some answers with this chapter about Alice's strange behavior, and increased impulsiveness. Lot's happens from start to finish, so hang on tight. *wink***

**Cupcakes and cookies to my amazing beta's, **myonlyheroin and taylowendy. Love you girls!****

****If you reviewed the last chapter but did not receive the outtake please shoot me a quick PM so I can take care of that for you. I truly appreciate hearing from you guys and thats why I reply to each and every review with something special. You have no idea how motivating it is to know you're enjoying this journey with me, or if you're starting to feel anxious and annoyed with some of the characters and the choices they're making. :)****

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><p><strong>Happenings<strong>

**Chapter 6**

**~*Bella*~**

The morning after Alice's party, I was greeted with a splitting headache, brought on by an overwhelmingly spectacular hangover. I groaned with a distorted half croak-half sigh, after hearing Aidan yelping over the baby monitor.

"You sleep. I'll get him." Edward cooed in my ear, before kissing the top of my head.

My eyes shot open over his statement. "You don't need to be on set?"

"Not until after dinner. You have me here all day. Go back to sleep. I'll fix their breakfast. I'm sure you'll want lots of coffee once you do rise with the living, though."

I giggled softly, and then instantly held my hands to my temples when the throbbing pain trickled across my temples, courtesy of my impulsive laugh, "Ugh. Yes. _Lots_ of coffee." I moaned again before pulling my pillow out from underneath my head to drop it over my face.

"How's your lip this morning?"

"It would probably feel better if yours were against it," I informed him, smiling now with my face pressed into the cotton fabric of my pillow case.

Truthfully, I'd forgotten all about the injury I had received the night before, which had been the direct result of me being in the wrong place, at the wrong time, during one of Bree's epic tantrums. I was really only looking for an excuse to have his mouth on mine again.

Before I could even take in another breath, my vision was flooded with the natural bright light that was pouring through our bedroom window and now blanketing my face once Edward had removed my soft barrier to molest my mouth with his own.

His lips took mine and I smiled beneath him as his hand gently traced my cheek bone. When our kiss subsided, I knew I had the goofiest grin on my face just by the pleased look that was now plastered all over his own.

"Better?" He asked, brushing my hair back behind my ears with his fingertips.

"Much. Thank you."

He smiled, nodding his head, and then pulled the comforter back up under my arms to tuck me in, "I hereby order you to rest, Bella Swan-Cullen. If you're still passed out at lunch time, I promise to come wake you," he insisted before leaning down to kiss my cheek. I smirked and nodded my own head obediently, just as Aidan's yelps returned over the baby monitor beside us.

"You better hurry. Round two, means he'll be climbing out of his crib in about thirty seconds." I warned with a smirk, pulling one of the spare pillows back into my chest. I was already anticipating the opportunity of an extended sleep. I honestly couldn't remember the last time I'd been allowed to sleep in past seven in the morning.

Edward chuckled, and a few seconds later I heard our bedroom door click shut.

Before sleep could surround me though, an unwelcome memory settled in the back of my head.

Garrett's smirk after admitting he had been the one who had interrupted Edward and I last night, and then the fact that he had spent the night in my very drunk best friend's home right next door.

Minus a chaperone.

I knew as soon as I was up and moving, I would have to head over and check on Alice. My throbbing head and heavy eyes wouldn't allow that for a few more hours though. For now, sleep would be my only best friend because without it, there was no way I'd be able to function coherently today.

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><p>Later that afternoon, when I got to Alice's after three cups of black coffee, the house was both quiet and dark. I gave her a few minutes to answer the door, and when she didn't, I walked around the corner to pull the spare key from the faux rock that sat against the side of the house's brick walls.<p>

Garrett's van wasn't in the driveway, so I wasn't worried about walking in on something I shouldn't.

_Christ. Would Alice really do that to Jasper?_

_No. _

_No-possible-way. _

_Never in a billion years._

Things were good between them. I mean the long distance stuff sucked, and it took its toll, but she would never cheat on him.

"Alice?" I called out, once I'd made my way inside and closed the door behind me. There was no response. I scanned the room and groaned at the sight of the massive mess that was left over from last night. "Jesus." You would have thought there were a bunch of teenagers here, partying while their parents were out of town. Not grown adults.

This _was_ Hollywood though, and Hollywood does know how to party without many rules or regulations. Regardless of your age, or your past, all that mattered was your status in the _now, _and how hard you could throw down without ever falling down.

I made my way to the back of the house where the master bedroom was, and knocked on the door before slowly opening it. "Alice?"

"Ugh… Bella? Shoot me, please." A voice croaked out, causing me to smirk to myself for a brief moment. I pushed the door open further and saw my best friend lying in the same dress she'd worn the night before. The person before me was _so_ not my Alice. Her hair was sticking up all over the place, and her makeup was smeared in ways that would only seem legit under the Big Top of Barnum and Bailey's Circus.

"Oh honey! I thought _my _hangover was bad. You look… Alice there is no word for what you look like right now." I whispered, trying my best not to laugh. I crawled up onto the mattress beside her and placed her head onto my lap so that I'd be able to smooth her hair down at the top of her head.

"Seriously, Bella, I don't even remember getting into my bed last night. The last thing I do remember is singing a song from the musical _Bye Bye Birdie _on top of the kitchen counter with Angie." She admitted, then moaned with a loud groan. She grimaced over the effects her very vocal outburst had brought on and I stifled a laugh.

"Huh… well… I was here for that rousing rendition of _The Telephone Hour_, so then if that's the last thing you remember, I doubt you remember inviting Garrett to um… live here?"

"I'm sorry, WHAT?! Shut up! I did NOT!" My best friend looked absolutely panicked. The unusual sight had me instantly hiding my smirk again.

"Yup. He stayed here last night. In your guest room. Right down the hall."

"Bella, that's not even funny."

"Oh, but it's not a joke, sweetie." I replied, guarding my giggle from behind my hand where she thankfully wouldn't be able to see it.

Alice let out another low moan sinking her head deeper into my lap after pulling a pillow over her face. I heard her unleash a round of words you wouldn't dare repeat inside of a church, and then waited for her to sit herself upright so I'd know she was ready to actually discuss the situation she was now in.

"No, but for real. Did I at least text Jazz first?" She questioned, rubbing her nose several times with the back of her hand. Her eyes looked totally dazed and blood shot. The way she took in two brash inhales through her nostrils, and then rubbed her nose again… it triggered a realization that wasn't at all welcomed.

"You weren't just drinking last night, were you, Alice?"

She sat up straighter and squared her shoulders, "I don't know what you're talking about, Bella."

"Alice."

"Okay, I might have bumped a line or two with Angie. It's all a bit blurred."

"Alice!" Her honesty felt like a blow to my gut. "You said you were cleaning up completely. For good. So you and Jasper could try for a baby,"

"A few lines of coke won't affect my uterus, especially when Jasper's dick-slash-springboard and healthy little swimmers won't be around for this month's big _go_ time."

I frowned, shaking my head, disagreeing with her. I was beyond disappointed. Not till my friend had moved out west to follow her dream to become an actress, had she ever dabbled in designer drugs. The day I'd actually walked in on her and caught her snorting a line over her makeup mirror last year, had been one of the worst days of my entire life.

Right up there with the moment I'd found out there was a chance Jake could have fathered my twins.

"I love you, Bella, really, but your lectures are the last thing I need this morning,"

"It's almost three o'clock in the afternoon. Hardly morning, darling," I interrupted her with a forced smirk. I really wasn't in the mood to lecture her either. She knew how I felt about this. There really wasn't anything left for me to say. I couldn't force her to stop. It had to be her decision. If she wasn't motivated, then it was pointless for me to even continue. I'd really hoped though, and had also believed that when she and Jasper decided they were ready to start trying for a family, that she would cut this crap out of her life completely. Permanently.

_Just another reason why Jasper needs to move his ass out here for good, and forget about splitting his time between coasts. _

"Fine. The last thing I need this _afternoon _is a lecture, Bella. It was a party. I had fun. It's not something I do every day. I promise. No harm. No foul. Let's move on."

I eyed her suspiciously, and then released a loud huff from between my lips, "I'm not your mother, Alice. Who, by the way, would absolutely murder you if she knew of all the bad habits you've picked up since moving out here. Just please… Be careful."

"I appreciate that. Plus, you know I'm always careful. About, _everything_!"

"So you say. Alright. New subject. What are you going to do about your new random house guest?" I questioned, smoothing her hair back again with my opened palm after she'd settled back down into my lap.

"I need to talk to Jasper. I mean I might have… I honestly can't remember. I can't imagine I'd offer Garrett a place to stay without talking to my husband first."

"Yeah, well… white powdery nose candy can make the sanest person do absolutely insane things." I snickered under my breath. My words earning me a swift swipe from her hand at my bare thigh. "Ouch! Dammit!"

"Please, at least tell me I was right. He's good people? I mean from what I _can_ remember, he seemed to really fit in, and get along well with everyone last night." Alice insisted, sounding more as if she were trying to convince herself, rather than asking for actual feedback from me.

"Jury is still out. He won Edward over though. I now have my husband's permission to hang, and dabble with pencils and paper in Garrett's presence." I shared, and then scooted myself down to lay beside her.

"Okay, well that's promising news, B! Progress indeed!"

"Yeah. Promising. Super-duper progress." I mumbled in response, just as the doorbell chimed in her hallway. "I'll see who it is, while you get cleaned up," I told her before jumping up from the bed to leave her sprawled out across her mattress all alone again.

"I'm going to call Jasper, so whoever it is, could you just keep them busy for a few minutes?"

"Sure thing."

As I passed by the guest room, I allowed my eyes to travel into the brightly lit space and noticed the medium size duffle bag resting at the foot of the bed. I paused and found myself considering stepping inside to take a peek into the bag, but before my feet could begin to carry me forward, there was another knock at the front door. I let out a huff and crossed my arms in front of me, silently cursing the impatient person I would find outside of Alice's home.

Once I'd pulled the door open I felt my jaw drop, not really expecting to see Garrett standing there in his khaki cargo shorts and white wife beater tank. His smirk, and bright blue eyes that could challenge the ocean, had apparently rendered me speechless, because I just stood there like a silent idiot staring at him as though he should be the one to say something first.

"Hey, you. Am I at the right house?" He asked, after greeting me with an increased smile, while he casually eyed me up and down in my cut off shorts and a tattered Dead Kennedy'st-shirt.

"Hey. Um… yeah. Right house. I was just checking on Alice."

"Gotch'a. It just didn't seem right to walk in, all things considered, especially since Alice was so wasted when she actually extended her invitation to let me crash here for a little while." Garrett explained, still grinning.

_Please. _

_Enough with the smirks, smiles, and head-tilted-side-stepping-crooked grins, while you rock in place, pretending to be all anxious because of my presence._

"Yeah. Good call, _squatter_. Come on in. She's on the phone with Jazz, her husband." I managed to get out after opening the door wider. He nodded his head and brushed past me, his arm grazing mine, even though there had been plenty of room for us to avoid actual bodily contact.

"So, how's she doing? She partied pretty damn hard last night."

I eyed him suspiciously and shrugged my shoulders, "She's hating life, obviously. How was work?"

For some reason I felt more comfortable talking about him, and his day, rather than my best friend and her well earned hangover.

"Good. Inspiring. I'm actually going to grab my sketch bag and go sit down by the water. Want to join me?" He offered without looking back for my response. I followed him down the hallway to the room he was staying in, and stood in the doorway watching him retrieve his things, as if he were already completely at home here in my best friend's house.

"No. I can't. Edward is home, and when he does leave for work, it will be dark, and I'll be on mom duty."

"Tomorrow then?"

"Nope. Babysitter has the day off since she watched the kids for us last night." I replied, just as he randomly pulled his shirt up over his head to expose his well toned, bare torso. The sight of his outlined abs and tanned skin instantly caused my cheeks to flush.

I turned away, but not quick enough.

_So inappropriate. _

"Can you toss me that t-shirt, _Bella_?" He casually requested, pointing to the dresser beside me. I fumble for a moment after reaching out and catching my foot on the carpet between the doorway and the antique dresser.

"Careful! I mean, it wouldn't be the first time my shirtless body has caused a girl to fall to her knees, but we don't want Alice thinking there's something going on between us." Garrett teased with a ridiculously straight face. I rolled my eyes and with added force, I chucked his shirt towards him, and then turned to head back towards the opened door.

"Alice may have a very creative imagination, but thankfully, she knows better than to think there would ever be anything going on between us. Have fun drawing."

After leaving Garrett behind in his room, I could hear my best friend talking loudly in her master bathroom as soon as I'd entered her bedroom. When she came out she looked as though she were on the verge of tears, which was an even more rare, and unusual sight.

"I take it Jasper's not too thrilled about your new house guest?"

She forced a smile and smoothed her hair back at the top of her head. "No, he's fine about it actually."

"Then what's the matter?" I knew she wasn't being totally honest with me. Something was wrong, and it wasn't just her hangover insisting on being a perpetual bitch.

"Nothing. It's nothing, Bella. My head, it's… my mind is just all kinds of scattered. Who was at the door?" She asked, obviously changing the subject. It wasn't like Alice to keep things from me. I didn't like it. At all. I also knew, though, that whatever it was, if she wasn't ready to tell me, she absolutely wouldn't.

"It was Garrett. He felt weird about just walking in. He's changing and going down to the beach to draw." I told her, before pulling my phone from my back pocket to check it for the time. "I need to get back. Edward is home for a few more hours, but then he has to head in to film another scene tonight, so I'll be flying solo," I explained as I closed the gap between us to hug my best friend tightly. "Come on over if you feel bored. I think we could both use a nice quiet girls night." I shared with a wink from my eye. Alice smiled and nodded her head, but still seemed a million miles away. "Take two aspirin and make some coffee. It will help settle all the chaos that's apparently going on in that head of yours." I insisted, and then kissed her cheek.

She agreed with a single nod from her head and began walking me towards the door that would lead me out to her backyard. "I'll come by a little later and bring a movie for us to watch after the kidletts are knocked out to slumber land."

"Sounds like a perfect evening."

She waved goodbye, and I quickly made my way across the sand towards my own home located a few yards away. Once I'd made it onto the porch, I turned to look back at Alice's. I was surprised when my eyes met Garrett's. He smiled and offered a wave with his freed hand, his other busy grasping the strap of his sketch bag at his side.

After taking in a deep breath, I smiled back. When Garrett looked away I turned to head inside my home, so I could return to my family, and enjoy the time we had left together before Edward would have to head down to the set.

* * *

><p>It had been an amazing rest of the day with Edward and the kids.<p>

Zero tantrums, zero conflicts, minimal whining, and lots of hugs, snuggles, laughter and kisses.

Six hours of nothing but pure happiness and memory making moments. The kind of moments that made me both wish and long all the more for us to be able to just leave this place behind and sneak off to an abandoned island. Someplace where we could live off the land and raise our family in a tree house without obnoxious luxuries like cell phones, televisions, and the internet.

Having Edward home without his cell phone going off every five minutes was almost unheard of, but today, he had insisted on keeping it locked away in his study. Why? I don't know, nor did I question him about it. Instead, I enjoyed every second we'd gotten to spend together, simply because of it being such a rare occasion.

After hearing a soft tap come from the back door, I dried my hands on the front of the giant t-shirt I was wearing, and then made my way around the counter to let Alice in.

"Hey, honey. I hope you don't mind, but a stray dog followed me across the way."

"Woof!" Garrett teased, after appearing from behind my best friend, holding a bottle of wine up in the air from his hand. I crossed my arms in front of me, letting out a sigh. I had been looking forward to some girl time in hopes of getting Alice to spill whatever it was that had been bothering her earlier this afternoon. That would be impossible now with Garrett hanging around as our third wheel.

"I brought your favorites, cheap ass Moscato with feet on the label and some girl on girl baseball." Alice announced, waving her copy of _A League Of Their Own _in the air. "I hope you like chick flicks, Gar."

"I hardly consider _A League of Their Own _a chick flick! But, for what it's worth, I _do_ actually enjoy movies that tug at the heart strings, and make you reach for a tissue… or the back of your hand. Whichever is closest in the moment." Garrett replied with a smirk, and then winked his eye in my direction.

"Right, well make yourself comfortable. I'll be back." I informed them, still feeling slightly annoyed.

Without saying another word, I turned to head to the bedroom so I could pull on some loose fitting lounge pants over my very bare legs. Wearing nothing but an oversized t-shirt over my purple cotton briefs seemed slightly inappropriate now that we had a male tag-a-long joining us this evening.

When I returned to the living room, I was surprised to find Garrett alone, sitting in the middle of the couch. He was flipping through one of my old sketch books.

"Where'd Alice go?"

He looked up and smiled, then softly patted the spot beside him on the couch, signaling for me to take a seat. "These are unbelievably incredible, Bella. I feel like I'm looking at photographs. Not hand drawn pictures."

"Those are years old. Right after we bought this place." I told him, noticing he'd stopped on a drawing I'd done of Bree playing down by the water, making a poorly built sandcastle with the help of a Dixie cup and a single plastic spoon. "Here, these are better." I spoke up, before leaning my body across his lap to grab the black leather binder I kept in a crate that had somehow appeared at the side of the coffee table. "Did Alice pull this out?" I asked, reminding myself that my best friend was still absent from the room.

"Yeah, she figured your books would help keep me busy while she ran back over to the house to grab her cell phone. She forgot she'd changed into different pants before heading over here," he informed me, and then reached out to take the binder from my hands. Our fingers touched for a moment, causing me to pull my hands briskly from the book and sit back in my seat. I crossed my arms in front of me and took in a slow, deep breath while I watched him scan my work.

He flipped through the pages, remaining silent, but stopping every once in awhile to carefully exam a page a little more closely with his eyes and the tip of his index finger. Every now and then, his fingers would trace sections of the images I had drawn. There was something about his expression while doing that… it had me internally pleading for him to say something… whatever it was that he was thinking… I needed to hear it out loud.

"Say something, Garrett. Please. You're about to drive me crazy." I finally got out when there were only two pictures left in the book.

He turned his head to look up at me and smiled, "I really shouldn't though, Bella."

I narrowed my eyes and sat up straighter, ready to demand an explanation.

"Sometimes saying nothing at all, can say everything. Especially for people like us. People who see the world in moments, and not necessarily a string of events that help choose what might happen next. But, since you apparently need some auditory feedback this evening, I'll say this: what I love about your work is how it always tells a story. These aren't just nothing memories without purpose or meaning. They're moments that make up your existence, and who you are. The fact that you don't mind sharing that so openly in such an intimate way through your skilled hand on a piece of paper or canvas, well, it's what's made me one of your biggest fans, Mrs. Swan-Cullen."

I stared at him, feeling absolutely stunned by the look he was now giving me, and the words he had just uttered without making them sound like a simple pick up line. He'd meant what he'd said. I could tell. He wasn't just feeding me lines now to score points. He absolutely understood my drawings and why they were so important to me.

"I still can't believe my luck… that I'm going to be sharing space with you in a gallery. I mean my life, it just all seems so surreal to me these days. I'm almost terrified I might wake up and discover this has been nothing more than a dream."

I snorted and shook my head, "Garrett, stop acting as if you don't deserve this break. You're just as good, if not _better_ than me. James really got lucky stumbling upon you on that boardwalk." I replied sincerely. He smiled and looked away, seemingly embarrassed by what I had said. "Really. I mean that. Your stuff, it is incredible." I insisted, and then playfully bumped his arm with my closed fist.

"Your lip looks better today."

I glanced up into his eyes, surprised by the sudden change of subject and shrugged my shoulders.

"Yeah. It wasn't all that bad to begin with. I mean, I didn't even think it was that noticeable. Evidently, I was wrong." I admitted, before reaching up to graze my mouth with my finger tips.

"I noticed. I just didn't want to put you on the spot about it in front of Edward, and he didn't really leave your side much last night. Not that I can blame him."

"You can always say anything you want to say to me, in front of my husband, Garrett. If you really feel otherwise, then it's probably not something that should be said. Period." I replied, leaning back beside him on the sofa and kicking my feet and legs up underneath me. He positioned himself next to me, imitating my stance, and released a quiet laugh.

"What?" I questioned. My eyes narrowed, and my defenses raised once again.

"I'm just imagining Edward's face if he had been around to find out it was me that walked in on the two of you last night. I'm assuming you didn't tell him?"

I rolled my eyes and let out an annoyed huff, not wanting to answer his pointless question. Why would I have ruined our perfect day together by bringing something so trivial up?

Of course I hadn't mentioned it to Edward. What was his point, and why did it matter to him?

"What's taking Alice so long?" I questioned, desperate to change the subject again.

"It's cool. We can add it to our book of secrets." Garrett whispered, obviously refusing to just let it go. Silence fell over the room with my inability to come up with some kind of witty response that would let him know once again that secrets were not something I was looking to share with him.

Ever.

Thankfully, Alice came busting through the back door, saving me from having to say anything at all.

"Well, don't you two look cozy. Miss me, or am I interrupting?"

I glared at my friend and leaned myself away from Garrett so I'd be able to reach for the DVD player remote that was resting on the coffee table in front of us.

"You were incredibly missed, Alice. Now, sit your butt down and toss me that blanket." I instructed her with my arm held out in front of me. She smirked and followed my request before taking her own seat on the other side of Garrett.

"So Bella, honey, have you talked to Jake today?"

I instantly leaned forward to look around Garrett, back towards my BFF who was still smirking, but keeping her eyes set on the television screen in front of us.

She was refusing to look in my direction.

"No. I haven't. Why?"

"I'll wait until you talk to Jake."

"Um. No! You'll tell me what's up right now!" I demanded, pausing the movie, and its opening credits. I'd instantly forgotten that there was someone else sitting with us, who was even further out of the loop than I apparently was.

"Who is Jake?" Garrett asked, joining the conversation after clearing his throat.

"Bella's ex. He's in a band with my husband. I told you about that right? My hubby is a rock star. As is Bella's ex, who will always, and forever hold a candle in her name beside his heart." Alice shared, after turning her attention towards Garrett.

"Alice! Shut-IT!" I warned, through clenched teeth, wishing she would keep my own personal history lesson to herself.

"Oh right, yeah. Jake, Jasper, Sam, Embry, and Paul, right?"

"Wow… someone retains information well. Very good, Gar! Give the boy one of your gold star stickers from the twins Potty Chart, Bella!" Alice exclaimed, and then leaned herself over to pinch Garrett's cheek playfully. He laughed and shrugged his shoulders, obviously feeling a bit proud of himself.

"Whatever. Yeah, yeah, he's good with names. Seriously though, spill it Alice, what's happened with Jake?" I spoke out, wishing she would stay on topic.

"Text him."

"Ugh, seriously?!" I huffed, and then reached over for my phone. Instead of texting, I called him directly, not wanting to continue with the waiting game that my friend was apparently wanting to draw out this evening.

He answered on the second ring.

"Hey, Bells. Did Alice tell you the news?"

"No. She insisted I call you and hear it straight from your lips, Black." I replied, crossing my freed arm in front of my stomach. I could feel Garrett's eyes on me. Alice was busy texting on her own phone.

For a moment I felt like a terrible hostess, but then I remembered Garrett hadn't even been invited over this evening, technically, so that feeling didn't last very long.

"It's official. We move out to L.A. next month."

"WHAT?! Seriously? Leah finally agreed?" I asked, sitting up a little straighter in my seat. "Alice! This is awesome news!"

My best friend smiled and nodded her head without saying anything in response, allowing me to continue with my phone conversation as I began rocking in my seat next to Garrett.

"Well… actually. She's staying back here. Until the baby is born. Then she'll move out there, and we will get a place together."

"Wait. What?" This news shocked me. "Jake. You can't leave your pregnant fiancé on the other side of the country."

Alice snorted loudly, and I threw her a menacing look, instantly shutting her up.

"She's fine with it. I'll come back every couple of weeks for a few days, and when she has important doctor appointments. Jasper has done it for years. Flown back and forth, I mean. We can handle it for a few months."

"Alice wasn't ever pregnant. Leah needs you there. I don't think this is a good decision, Jake. Seriously." I insisted as I stood up to seek a more private location since my best friend was having a difficult time keeping her snorted opinions, and snickered thoughts silenced.

"While I value your opinion, Bella, it's still my decision to make. It's something Leah and I have discussed, and she understands why it needs to be done now, rather than later. She's fine with it. Really."

"Just like I was fine with it when you went off on your second tour and left me behind?" I snapped back at him without thinking about how my words might sting.

"Bella,. Alice needs Jasper home. This has been two years in the making. It's time for it to happen. You need to just trust me that I know what I'm doing, and why it needs to happen." Jake insisted.

I could hear it in his tone.

He was telling me something, but _not_ telling me something.

I knew him well enough to know when the bigger picture was being laced with minor details.

This was one of those moments.

"Why do I feel like there's more to this than just a simple relocation for the band?"

"I can't say anything else right now. I'll see you in a few weeks, though. I have to go. I'm almost back to the apartment with our takeout."

I let out another huff and pulled down three wine glasses from the cabinet, then popped open the bottle Alice and Garrett had brought over with them.

"Bells?"

"Yeah, Jake?" The line was silent. I waited, but he said nothing. "Jake? Are you still there?"

"Yea. Nothing. Never mind. I'll be in touch. Take care of Alice."

"Always. Tell Leah I said Hi."

"Sure. Of course. Talk to you tomorrow." After he'd hung up, I laid my phone on the counter and poured the sweet smelling liquid from the wine bottle I was now holding in my hand into my glass to gulp it down effortlessly.

Bottom line: I knew Jake, and I knew when he was keeping something from me. There were other things in motion, but I was being kept in the dark and sensing an obvious theme in today's happenings.

I grabbed the three glasses, and the bottle of wine, then carefully made my way back to the living room.

Garrett and Alice were whispering about something, huddled close together on the sofa. The sight of them actually looking cozy and secretive together instantly had my eyes narrowed in my best friends direction.

"Hope I'm not interrupting."

"Of course not. So, Jake's news. Are we happy?"

"I'm happy for you, Alice. It will be nice to finally have Jasper here. All of the time. The kids miss their uncle, and I know you miss your husband." I replied back, taking an impulsive seat between Alice and Garrett in order to separate them. Garrett smiled and after I'd set the bottle and glasses onto the coffee table, he handed me the blanket I had draped over my lap before I'd gotten up to continue my phone call in the kitchen. "Thanks," I mumbled in response, and then reached to retrieve the DVD remote.

"I know you're surprised for some reason, but I'm not surprised at all that he's coming without Leah. She needs to learn that Jake doesn't let anyone, or anything hold him back from doing the things he wants to do, when he wants to do them. I would have figured she'd have picked up on that, given his history and all. Hopefully this doesn't bite her, or him, in the ass. But alas… everything _does_ happen for a reason. Am I right? I mean if it wasn't for his stupidity three years ago, who knows where you would be today. Maybe Leah will get lucky and meet some mysterious stranger on the subway one night." Alice shared with a smirk and wink of her eye.

"Whoa… why do I get the feeling this story would be much more exciting than the movie we're attempting to watch?" Garrett questioned, bumping me with his shoulder.

"Not exciting. Now hush. If I don't hear the words, 'There's no crying in baseball!', tonight, I'm going to be seriously pissed off."

"Oh, but it is exciting. The kind of story Hollywood movies are made of! If Bella doesn't share her tale with you, Garrett, I'll fill you in at a later time. Don't worry." I heard Alice pretend to whisper from behind me, after I'd leaned forward against my knees, trying to escape the uncomfortable conversation she was trying to force upon me.

"I'm most def intrigued."

"Hush! Both of you!" I scolded them, and then redirected my stare back onto the screen in front of us.

I honestly wasn't in the mood to talk now, and especially not about mine and Jake's ugly past. I really just wanted to sit here and enjoy a movie, quietly. My head and spiraling thoughts were in desperate need of a timeout. Thankfully, they both got the hint and nothing else had to be said.

* * *

><p>When the movie was over, I turned the TV off, and silently walked Alice and Garrett to the back door, while they teased each other about who should be cast if they ever did a remake of the film we had just watched. "I'm on set all week, so I won't be around much. Let's get together Saturday, though, kay?" Alice asked, after landing a quick kiss to my cheek. "Sorry, about busting your lady balls earlier. You know I was only teasing. My hangover just turned up my bitch dial, I guess."<p>

"Stop. I know you didn't mean it. We'll talk more later. See you, Garrett."

"Night, Bella."

He seemed unusually disconnected during our farewell, which struck me as odd, but I brushed it off and gently closed the door before locking it behind them. I glanced at the clock above the oven and saw that it was almost two in the morning. I had no idea when Edward might be home. After checking my phone, I frowned finding zero text messages from him.

"Guess you're going to bed solo tonight, Mrs. Cullen."

I kicked off my lounge pants, after pulling my hair up into a ponytail, and made my way back into the living room to straighten up before heading to the bedroom and calling it a night.

Once things had settled down and we'd gotten into the movie, it had been a pleasant evening, mixed with appropriate banter that was actually related to the film, and nothing else involving real life situations, or my past that was laced with unpleasant memories.

It had been easy to just '_be_' with Garrett, when he was just '_being_' Garrett and nothing else.

Almost too easy.

I was craving to draw. My hand was twitching to sketch a picture of Alice all cuddled up on my sofa, smirking while we'd taken turns reciting some of our favorite lines from movie.

There was a soft tap at the back door, breaking me from my reminiscing of the evening, and also causing me to jump out of my skin after I'd let out a loud yelp.

Garrett's smiling face looked back at me as he waved his hand in the air and mouthed the word, 'sorry'.

"Aw. Did Alice lose you in the darkness, and now you can't find your way home, pound puppy?" I kidded, after opening the door in front of him.

"I think my phone must have slipped out of my pocket while we were watching the movie."

"You _think_ it did?"

"Well, I guess I'm _hoping_ it did, and that it's not somewhere in the sand between these two houses."

I laughed, agreeing with him, and ushered him back into the living room. Without thinking, I leaned over to run my hand between the cushions. When I turned around to hand him his iPhone, he was grinning widely. His eyes had obviously been zoned in on my back side, where I now realized my large t-shirt had most likely ridden up, exposing my purple panties in all their glory.

"Ugh, really?"

"What? I'm a man, and you… what do you expect, Bella? You just bent over in front of me with your ass on display. I was bound to look. I won't apologize for that," he teased, taking the phone from my hand to drop it back into his pocket, still smirking at me.

"Out." I gave him a light shove back towards the door that would lead him onto the deck and rolled my eyes wishing I could rewind the last minute and a half of my life.

"So the day after Monday… Tuesday?"

"Right, it comes before Wednesday, and then there's Thursday and Friday. There are actually seven days in a week. Bree knows a pretty good song about it if you need her to teach it to you." I was the one smirking now, after crossing my arms in front of me, while I leaned against the door frame in front of him.

"Funny. Nice ass, and a smart ass. Double the threat. I'm asking if we can get together on Tuesday to do some drawing, Bella."

I stared at him, unable to come up with a decent enough excuse to say no. That's when I heard the garage door come to life, signaling that Edward was home. The last thing I wanted was Edward coming in after a long night at work, finding me standing here with Garrett at the back door… Me wearing nothing but a t-shirt at two in the morning… with dirty wine glasses still in the sink.

"Fine. Tuesday. Now go!" I yelped through clenched teeth, and gave him another shove with my hands. He smiled, apparently feeling triumphant in his victory, and nodded his head.

"I'll meet you here at noon. Goodnight, Bella." He glanced behind me, obviously having heard the rumble of the mechanical device in the garage, and knowing full well what my sudden panic was about. Once our eyes met again, he gave me a solid wink and turned to trot off into the darkness. I spun myself around and locked the door, feeling my heart racing out of my chest.

Why was I in such a panic? It wasn't as if I'd been doing anything wrong. We'd watched a movie together, with Alice. I'd had my pants on the entire evening. It wasn't my fault he showed back up and I'd gotten comfortable again. It wasn't my fault that we had been alone for five minutes after he'd come back for his stupid phone.

_No. It's just your fault that you're already feeling so comfortable around him that your baring your panties after bending over before his eyes in your home, late at night, when your husband is off becoming a movie star, and your children are sound asleep in the next room. _

"You're up! I didn't text to let you know I was on my way home, because I was afraid I'd wake you."

I turned around from the sink and smiled before making my way across the kitchen to wrap my arms around Edward's neck and land a kiss on his lips.

"You smell like an ashtray." I declared after my sense of smell was invaded with the very unwelcoming aroma of a cheap motel room, mixed with a crowded sports bar.

"Yeah. I'm the only person on set who doesn't require a cigarette between takes. Did you have company?" He questioned after glancing behind me at the wine glasses I'd quickly rested on the drying rack beside the sink.

"Alice came over to watch a movie. Garrett tagged a long." I replied, and then waited for his reaction. I was surprised when he didn't even flinch over hearing his name.

"That sounds fun. I got a text from Jasper and Jake. Pretty crazy they're really making the transition out here."

_Ah-ha. That's where his head is._

"Yup. Did Jake tell you Leah is staying back till the baby is born?"

"Yeah. Well, Jasper did. Jake just sent me a text to see if it would be okay for him to crash in our guest house till Leah follows him out here."

I stopped what I was doing and turned to look back at my husband. "Stay here? For six months? What about Mrs. Coupe?"

"She's moving in with that friend of hers next week. I thought I mentioned that."

"No. You didn't, just that she might. So then, you told him, _yes_?" I questioned, surprised by the possibility that my husband would indeed extend such an invitation to my ex. Regardless of the fact that Jake and Edward did seem to get along well these days, and that he would normally stay here with us now and then whenever he'd be out this way with the rest of the guys…

Him staying with us for half a year seemed a bit, well, to put it bluntly, it seemed insane to me.

"Yeah. I guess I should have checked with you first. I didn't think it would bother you. Was I wrong?"

I shrugged, noticing a bit of aggravation in his tone. "No, it's fine. I guess I'm just surprised he wouldn't want to get a place and start making a home for him, Leah and the baby. Did everything go okay tonight?" I questioned, hoping that was the reason for his mood, and not the fact that my ex had put us in this awkward position.

"Yeah. Everything went fine. We actually wrapped a little early and a few of us went out for some coffee. You seemed so tired earlier; I honestly thought you would be going to bed right after getting the kids down."

"I thought I told you Alice was going to come over?"

"You did. I just figured you would cancel." He replied after placing his hands at my hips to turn me around and start moving us towards our bedroom.

"Nope. It seems Alice is back to needing a babysitter, because I don't have enough going on in my life."

"I see… same game?" Edward questioned, sounding concerned. He knew what I was referring to, so I simply nodded my head. He sighed and shook his own head in disappointment. "She'd quit that shit, right?"

"I thought she had. I know she had. I don't know what's made her start it up again. Angie, I'm sure. I swear I hate that woman. I knew when she joined the cast of Alice and Rose's show, that she would bring nothing but bullshit and problems."

"You can't blame someone else for Alice's poor decision making, Bella. She's an adult. She knows what she's doing. Jasper couldn't be coming at a better time, I guess." Edward insisted while he changed out of his clothes to climb into bed with me.

"True story, bro."

"You did not just say that."

I giggled and shrugged my shoulders innocently, "I think I've been spending too much time in Hollywood. My city is seriously calling to me."

"Soon, baby. I promise," he assured me, then leaned in to kiss the top of my head. I closed my eyes, praying he meant what he'd said. I was missing my home a lot these days. I missed the familiarity of it all. I missed feeling grounded and lost in the crowd. "I have four more scenes and then I'm done and we will head off to Orlando. Maybe instead of coming right back here, we will head to city. Jane will be home. She can take Bree for a week and you and the twins can stay back."

"Without you?" I didn't like this idea.

"We'll see what my schedule is like."

I frowned and scooted myself further down under the covers to rest my head on my pillow, hoping I'd be able to hide my disappointed expression from him. I didn't want to be away from Edward. I wanted him with us. An extended weekend in Orlando wasn't going to be enough for me. Not at all.

You would think after the day we had shared together, it would allow me to appreciate the time we did have together as a family. Instead, though, it seemed to only worsen my need to have him here with us more regularly, without any other outside interruptions.

Edward climbed into bed beside me and pulled me into his arms. I could feel his breath against my skin and it had me grasping for his face instantly. I kissed him long and hard, and then let out a quiet sigh before allowing my absolute honesty to escape me.

"I missed you tonight. I wasn't looking forward to going to bed alone."

"I missed you too, Care Bear. Every second that we're apart and I'm away, you're always on my mind." I smiled and closed my eyes as he brought his lips back to mine to kiss me goodnight. "I love you, baby."

"I love you too. Hold me?" I requested as I scooted myself backwards into his arms, pressing myself firmly against him.

"You don't have to ask twice," he whispered beside my ear, wrapping himself around me to bring me deeper against his chest so I'd be able to sleep peacefully with my body rising and falling with his own rhythmic breathing.

* * *

><p>I woke up and rubbed my eyes as I stretched my legs under the covers and let out a quiet yawn. After noticing Edward was missing from our bed, I scanned the room and saw the light on in our bathroom. His phone lit up bringing my attention towards his bedside table. It was on the verge of vibrating it's self right off the edge of oak surface, so I leaned over to push it back to the center. When I saw Edward had six new texts from Emmett, I panicked. Thinking something might be wrong; I opened the message and gave my eyes a few seconds to adjust to the bright screen that looked back at me.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>Messages -EMMETT- Edit<strong>

_Bro. WTF? Why is your name blowing up my Yahoo! Alerts? Have the games already begun? _5:47 AM

_Dude! Your face and car are all over the sleaze sites, E! _5:51 AM

_What were you doing parked in front of Maggie Lauren's place with her in your passenger seat at 1 in the morning!? _5:53 AM

_Dammit, these pictures. Bella is not going to like this. And why are they saying you guys share a love scene together in the movie. I thought you said there would be no modesty socks for you! _5:55 AM

_Dude! Get your ass up! We need to nip these rumors in the butt before the sun rises or we will be spinning this shit all week. _6:00 AM

_What is it with you and red heads anyways?__.__ Why are they always trying to get you in their panties? _6:01 AM

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><p>Was I dreaming? What the hell was Emmett talking about? Edward hadn't even mentioned that Maggie Lauren was in the movie with him, and she and I were actually acquainted since we shared the same agent. I'd just clicked on the link Edwards best friend had sent with his last text, when the bathroom door slowly opened.<p>

I looked up to stare my husband in the face and reached my hand out to offer him his phone.

"Did it wake you? I'm sorry. It's still early. You should go back to sleep." He insisted before looking down at the screen. I hadn't even seen the pictures, but by the look on Edwards face when he did glance down, I could tell I wouldn't have liked what the link had pulled up.

"Emmett sent you a few texts. I thought something was wrong, so I opened them." I explained, sitting up further in our bed and reaching over to turn on the bedside lamp. "Is there anything you want to tell me? Or should I just Google it myself?"

He looked panicked and I felt my heart falter when he offered me no immediate explanation.

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><p><strong>AN: AH! I think this is the first 'major' TMF cliffy! I promise to update ASAP so that you're not standing on the edge for too long. **

**Tisk, tisk Edward. No one is perfect, and it seems Edward's golden boy exterior may be starting to crack. **

**Bella is doing a pretty good job at keeping Garrett at bay, but with him living next door and turning into Alice's shadow, (while she stumbles down the rabbit hole), how long will it take before the lines start to get blurred?**

**Jake's coming... how do we feel about that?**

_**~*~Please Review~*~**_

_***As a thank you for your thoughts, I will reply with an outtake from Edward's POV during his time at home before he heads off to work. Text messages will be involved.***_

**Till next time!**


	7. Trusting to Remember

_Disclaimer: Twilight and its characters belong to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended with the posting of this story. Stalker, his Care Bear, Princess Bree, and the twins belong to me though. Please respect._

**A/N: Hi! Hi! This chapter jumps right in at where we left off. It will also serve as a review of things that happened in Two Make Three, (for anyone who has been trying to recall some of the more pivotal parts of that story). We'll also learn a little more about Garrett and where he comes from. **

**Side note, I post teasers and such on Twitter, so if you're not already following me, you can find me at "tailoreddreams". **

**The feedback I received from the last chapter was AMAZING. Thank you all so much. It made my week to hear from you. I hope you enjoyed the outtake you received with my reply. I love, love, LOVE hearing your thoughts and your frustrations. Please keep them coming! **

**Lots of hugs to my awesome beta's **taylowendy and myonlyheroin! You girls spoil me!****

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><p><strong>Trusting to Remember<strong>

**Chapter 7**

**~*~BELLA~*~**

While I waited for my pupils to adjust to the bright light that had flooded our room, I squinted my eyes in Edwards direction. I felt as though I were about to be sick to my stomach as I sat there, waiting for him to speak.

Clenching our comforter tightly in my hands, I took in a deep breath and counted to five, willing myself to calm the rapid beating of my heart.

He was absolutely still, offering me nothing.

"Say something, Edward!"

When he remained frozen, I reached forward to take the cell phone from his stilled hand. He didn't try to keep it from me. He instead dropped it directly into my opened palm, and then gently took a seat beside me on our bed.

I leaned back against our headboard and counted to five one more time before allowing my eyes to look down at the bright screen.

Even though I'd mentally prepared myself for it, I was still stunned by what stared back at me.

The photos were of Edward's SUV parked under a street lamp in a neighborhood that was not our own. Beside him sat Maggie, grinning bashfully in his direction with her head tilted to the side. He was leaning in close, apparently talking to her with his arm extended, his hand resting against the back of her seat next to her wavy dark red hair.

She looked absolutely stunning. That sight alone sent a fresh jab to my side.

"You know how this stuff works. It's never how it seems. They get a picture and suddenly they think their creative writers with nothing more than a visual prompt, free to make up whatever story they want."

I laughed sarcastically, feeling my anger begin to rise even further, "Really?! How does it seem, Edward? If that wasn't _you_ in those pictures… what would _you_ assume is going on?" I loudly demanded, before dropping the phone from my hand onto the nightstand in complete disgust.

I knew if I continued to hold onto it, I would look at the photos again, and my heart just couldn't take that.

"That's not fair, Bella."

"How do you figure?!"

"Because it _is_ me, and you know _me_! You know I would never do anything that would hurt you, or our family." He firmly replied, before reaching towards me to take my hand into his.

I immediately pulled it away from him, refusing to look up into his eyes.

"_This_ hurts me! She is _not_ your client! She does _not_ look drunk, or unable to drive _herself _home! She looks absolutely coherent, grinning, and touching your arm while you're just sitting there smiling back at her! You had no reason to be out alone with her at that time of night. You know better than to give them the opportunity to plaster your face with these kinds of headlines all over the internet. This is the kind of stuff you educate everyone else about!"

He let out a loud sigh and shook his head, "She needed a ride home. I told you a bunch of us went out after we were done. We had coffee at some low key diner Ben knew about, and then when it was time to go, her car wouldn't start. She lives in the next neighborhood over, so it made total sense for me to do the right thing and offer her a lift home instead of making her wait for a taxi. I don't even think I put the car in park. We were literally sitting there for less than a minute and a half. I SWEAR to you! _Nothing_ happened!"

My body remained still while I allowed his explanation to settle. When I finally found the courage to glance up into his eyes, he looked beside himself, "Okay. If you say it was nothing more than a quick drop off, captured in a string of photos elongating the moment, I believe you. But why haven't you mentioned that she's starring in the movie with you?"

Edward repositioned himself next to me, and then ran his hand forcefully through his hair before letting out a rushed breath, "She plays my girlfriend, but she was only supposed to be in one scene with me, it was after my character dies. She comes to town for the funeral and falls in love with my brother. Literally one scene where she cries over my lifeless body in a casket."

"Why are they saying the two of you share a love scene then? Why is Emmett bringing up modesty socks?" I softly questioned. I could feel my anxiety slowly beginning to subside. As mad as I wanted to stay at him, his answers were making sense, and they didn't feel at all scripted. I could tell he was being truthful with me. Edward was a terrible liar. That was an absolute fact. It was one of the many things I adored about him.

"They decided to add a scene. I found out about it yesterday when you were at Alice's. I've just been waiting for the right moment to tell you. We had such a nice afternoon; I didn't want to bring something up that I knew would ultimately ruin our day."

After hearing his response, it became that much more difficult for me to stay angry. I, too, had kept something from him yesterday because I didn't want to mess up our seemingly perfect afternoon. In a way, I was just as guilty.

"What kind of a scene is it?" I finally asked, just above a whisper, once again avoiding his eyes.

This was my own worst nightmare coming true, but I knew it was too late to wake up and change its path. I'd given him the okay and he had signed a contract. There was no turning back now. He had to see this through, or his name would be tarnished and I'd never be able to forgive myself for that.

"It's going to be a rapid paced flashback Maggie's character will have while she's hooking up with my characters brother for the first time. Like comparing the two moments and remembering our past. It's supposed to lead into her having a dream where she realizes he had something to do with me being set up and murdered over money."

"Does this _scene_ involve more than some simple heavy making out?"

When I looked up into his eyes, I could already tell by his straight face that I had my answer. "Is there nudity?"

"Brief."

"A bed?"

He cleared his throat nervously, "A wall, and counter top."

"Super."

"Bella,"

"Edward! How am I supposed to react?!"

"It's not a big deal. It's _not_ real, and it's not like I'm going to enjoy it. It's all just pretend. It's acting! Bright lights, mic booms, cameras and a room full of people. There will be nothing romantic about it, and I'm sure it will be awkward as hell." he insisted, sounding increasingly desperate to make me understand.

"_Right_. Awkward."

"Please, baby. I know this is asking a lot of you. I absolutely understand that. I need you to trust me, though, when I say that it's all just part of the job and nothing more. You have nothing to worry about. This is something all actors eventually have to do." He insisted, taking my hands into his to pull me up into his lap. I couldn't fight him off anymore, because truthfully all I wanted now was to be held in his arms. I needed the physical reassurance that it was me, and no one else who he wanted to feel against him when the cameras were off and the lights were dimmed.

"You seem to forget that just a few days ago you were not an actor… but now you are… and now I have to suddenly deal with the fact that you will be 'pretending' to make love to someone who isn't me… against a wall…and on a counter top… for all the world to see."

"I love you, and only you. You are my everything. You are my one and only. Shooting this scene will be a nothing more than a moment. You and I will have a lifetime of _real_ moments that will make this scene look like an episode of _Dora the Explorer_."

I couldn't help but smirk over his chosen comparison.

Edward _hated_, Dora the Explorer.

"Jesus, this sucks so much. I just want you to know that. It's going to take everything in me to act civil towards her now… Oh God, I'm going to have to watch it at the premier!" I groaned, then dug my face into my opened hands.

"Maggie adores you. You know that. She's also in her own committed relationship, and you can step out during that part at the premier."

"Right well… _whatever_." I didn't know what else to say. I didn't want to talk about it anymore. He knew how I really felt, but it was too late to turn back now. I had no choice but to suck it up and find a way to get through the rest of the week while he was off doing whatever it was he apparently wanted to do.

Déjà vu swept over me, sending a shiver across my body. I quickly pushed it away, refusing to believe that these unwanted feelings were anything like the ones I felt three years ago, just a few weeks before Jake had left me behind to follow his own dream.

Edward only had a few scenes left… yes, one of which he would be humping some red head Hollywood skank in various random locations and positions… but that was okay.

It had to be okay.

It was one scene, and then we would be able to look back at this and laugh at how ridiculously jealous I had acted over absolutely nothing. I could get past this. Lord knows, I'd put him through hell with all of my own indiscretions back when we'd first started seeing each other.

I'd almost gotten myself pregnant by another man for Christ sakes.

"I'm tired." I spoke up, before removing myself from his lap to climb back under the covers of our bed.

I was done discussing it. It was up to me to find a way to be okay with it now. All I needed were a few days to let the idea settle, and then I'd be okay.

We would be okay.

"When do you shoot the scene?" I asked, praying he would say Friday.

"Tuesday," he whispered.

My heart faltered once again, but I forced myself to keep a straight face.

"Okay."

"I just need you tell me you're all right with this. If you're not, I'll quit. I swear I will. It's not what I originally signed up for, so they would have to understand."

I thought his words over for a few seconds, and then slowly shook my head, "No. I don't want you to quit. I trust you. Just please make better decisions next time. Don't keep things from me. Don't give me a reason to doubt you, Edward. It hurts me more than you know."

You could almost see the anxiety immediately lift from his shoulders, "Thank you, baby. I swear, I'll never let anything like this happen again. I just wasn't thinking. I didn't see it as being a big deal because it was so absolutely innocent. _Fucking shit licking paps_."

I forced a smile and silently nodded my head, agreeing with his description of the scum that slithered around this town. "Just hold me for a little while. Aidan will be up soon."

"I need to send Em a quick text, and I'll have you back in my arms against me in less thirty seconds," he promised before extending his arm out to grab his phone.

I scooted my body down further to pull the covers back up over me, and under my arms. I closed my eyes willing myself to fall asleep, secretly praying that I might wake up and discover this had been nothing more than a terrible dream, and not my real life.

I knew better though.

Tomorrow would be hard, and it was only Monday, the first day of the week.

Tomorrow, I would stay off the internet, and keep my phone dead to the outside world.

Tuesday was going to be hell.

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><p>It was Tuesday morning and I was in the kitchen making the kids their lunch for later when the doorbell rang. I knew it would be Mrs. Coupe, so when Bree sang that she would get the door, I let her continue with her quest past the counter top, and down the hallway moving with lightening like speed.<p>

"I _shallllllll_ get it! I _will_! I _will_!" she sang loudly, at the top of her lungs. The twins of course, following right behind her. I smiled to myself and shook my head enjoying the moment before going back to spreading grape jelly across the piece of bread I was still holding in my hand.

"Coupe has ARRIVED!" Bree shouted, her voice echoing down the hallway back to me.

"I'm in the kitchen." I yelled back, still grinning to myself.

"Hello, dear. How are we doing this morning?" Mrs. Coupe asked after making her way into the room to join me.

"Good. Doing fine I mean… as well as can be expected."

"Those bloody gossip pages. I swear to the heavens those vultures will have a special place in hell waiting for them."

I forced a smile and nodded my head agreeing with her, "Its fine. I know the truth. That's all that matters." I insisted, avoiding her eyes. She was actually the first person I was even discussing this with. Alice had called me, and we'd talked for about three minutes last night, but Edward was home, so we hadn't really gotten to get into it.

"Of course, dear. Only someone with a black heart would look at those pictures and think there was anything scandalous going on. Ridiculous, I tell you. Simply ridiculous!"

I raised my brow in her direction, "You never struck me as the type to be _hip_ to shady show biz gossip, Mrs. Coupe."

She laughed and shrugged her shoulders, "I do enjoy sitting down with a cup of tea while Entertainment Tonight airs. I suppose it's a guilty pleasure of mine. All the more exciting, too, now that I'm staying out here in the mix of it all. I promise to never betray this families trust, though. You have my word."

"It's not like you would have anything to tell. We're about as boring as the Brady Bunch," I slightly fibbed.

She laughed and nodded her head, pretending to agree with me. "Mr. Cullen is a good man, and a good husband. He loves you very, very much."

I could feel my cheeks turning a shade of pink, so I casually redirected my eyes back down towards the last sandwich I had made, "He is, and I know he does." I whispered, and then released a quiet sigh from between my lips. "Okay, well. Their lunches are all prepared. The twins should be ready for their nap around one. Bree's been pretty good this morning, but she's wanted a lot of alone time in her room ever since yesterday. It's fine, just make sure she leaves her door open."

"Of course."

"They ate breakfast around eight, but they can have a banana if they get hungry before lunch." I told her, feeling a little frazzled for some reason. This would be my first full day away from them. It almost felt as if I were about to leave them for a week, and not just a few hours.

"We will be fine. Enjoy your day. It's lovely out." Mrs. Coupe insisted as she linked her arm through mine to begin guiding me towards the living room where the kids were playing. "I have everything under control."

"I know. Just… please, don't hesitate to call me for anything." I insisted as she squeezed my arm reassuringly.

"Of course I will. Children, say goodbye to your mother. She's off to work."

Maddie was instantly attached to my knee. "No momma! No-go!" She pleaded, desperation laced with every forced word that left her tiny lips.

"I have to go baby, but you will have fun with your brother, sister, and Mrs. Coupe. I'll bring home pizza for dinner. Okay?"

"Pizza!" All three of them exclaimed at the same time, creating a returned smile across my face after Bree grabbed her siblings hands to begin skipping in a circle with them.

"Love you guys. Be good!" I insisted, and then gave Mrs. Coupe one last wave from my hand before heading towards the back door where my sketch bag was already waiting for me.

When I got to Alice's house, I peeked around the side and saw Garrett's van parked in the driveway. I knew he was here alone. Just like Edward, Alice had to be onset before the sun was even up and she had assured me he'd come home alone last night during our short talk on the phone.

I decided to send him a quick text instead of knocking on the door.

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><p><strong> ~<span>Messages <span>~**_**Garrett **_**~ Edit~**

_ You up? 9:12 am_

_**I am. 9:13 am**_

_ I'm out back, if you're not busy 9:13 am_

_** Give me 2 minutes 9:14 am**_

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><p>I let out a sigh, and took a seat on the long lounge chair that sat on Alice's back porch while I waited for Garrett to come out. We'd made plans the other day to meet up at noon to do some drawing, but I figured I should let him know I was going to head out and get an early start on things.<p>

"Hey you," a voice suddenly cleared from above me. I opened my eyes and gave him a single nod from my head, but said nothing. "How's life?"

After letting out a short laugh I shrugged my shoulders, "That's a loaded question these days."

"So, it would seem. Alice said you were handling it all okay, though."

"I am. I know the truth. That's all that matters. It doesn't matter what anyone else says, or thinks." I replied firmly, then sat up to pull my knees firmly against my chest as I realized I apparently had my own little life motto now.

"That's definitely all that matters. When do you have to be back?"

"Not until five. I promised to bring pizza home." I shared, before extending my legs back out in front of me with an exasperated sigh.

"Excellent. We have all day. I'll grab my keys." I watched him run back inside and kicked at a shell that had somehow wandered up onto the porch. I watched it skip across the wood planks and down the steps, back into the golden sand.

I'd told Edward I would be spending the day drawing, and that Garrett would most likely be tagging a long.

He hadn't seemed concerned at all.

He did, after all, have his _big_ scene today to worry about, so who could have blamed him.

A part of me, though, couldn't help but think he hadn't even heard a word I'd said this morning when I'd told him what my plans were for the day.

"Let's get out of here." Garrett's voice prompted from behind me, breaking me from my unwanted, unpleasant thoughts.

I nodded my head and silently followed him around the side of the house. He surprised me when he made his way to the passenger side of his VW hippie van to manually unlock the door with his key and pull it open before me.

"_My_ Lady."

I smiled and rolled my eyes, "Someone's been catching up on their Game of Thrones."

"Can you blame me? I've been without TV for months and I was addicted last season!" he toyed with a grin, then gently closed the door beside me after I'd climbed in to take my seat. I watched him walk around the front of the van and began anxiously picking at the fray on the bottom of my jean shorts.

He turned the dial on his radio as soon as he'd taken his seat, thankfully saving us both from any further awkward silences. "You can roll the window down if you'd like. The AC doesn't work."

I nodded my head and reached over to turn the knob, gently rotating its handle with my hand so the fresh beach air could fill the inside of the van.

"Where are we going?"

"I have a spot in mind… if you're game?" he replied, keeping his eyes set on the road in front of him.

"I'll be honest. I'm not in the mood to be anywhere where scum with camera's and foul mouths might be circling."

"Then you'll love where I'm taking you. Promise."

I took in a deep breath and redirected my stare back outside the window.

Garrett cleared his throat and reached his hand out to turn the radio's volume down, "Edward's working today?"

"He's on set."

"Alice said you guys are going away next week. To Disney, in Florida?"

"You and Alice seem to talk about me and my family a lot." I replied, trying my best to hide the annoyance I felt over that apparent fact.

"She's been worried about you. That's all. She was looking for someone to talk to last night."

"Yeah, well I've been worried about her, so I guess we're even. You can report back to her that I'm totally fine. I mean it."

"Aye-Aye-boss."

I rolled my eyes over his response as I took my phone out from my bag to check it for messages.

Nothing.

After scanning our surroundings again, I realized we were traveling close to the coast, but I was still unsure of where our final destination might be. I just needed a few hours away from it all so that I could bring my hand to some paper and daydream about more pleasant things. Once I had that, I knew I'd be able to breathe a little more easy again.

"Tell me a story, Garrett."

He laughed and glanced over in my direction after coming to a stop at a red light. "About what, _my_ Lady?"

"Stop that. Anything. Wait, no. Tell me about the first drawing you ever did that made you realize you wanted to turn your talent into something more than just a hobby."

He grinned and nodded his head, "Okay. That's easy. I'd drawn a picture of my grandmother. She was sitting on our porch in the rocking chair my dad had built for her. She loved that chair. To this day, every time I see one, I think of her slowly rocking, forward and backwards, with her favorite quilt draped over her lap. Knitting needles always in her hands. I gave my mom the picture on her birthday and she cried like a baby. Seeing her in that moment made me decide right then and there that I wanted to give lots of people moments like that... Happy memories they could treasure forever."

"Did your grandmother pass away?"

"Yeah. Two years ago. She was always supportive of me, and my dreams. She believed in the stars she saw in my eyes, and told me to follow them wherever they may take me." He shared, still smiling to himself.

"She sounds like she was an incredible woman."

He nodded his head and turned onto a road that was now leading us up a hill that peeked above the ocean down below us.

"My parents thought I was crazy. When I told them I was coming out here to sell drawings on the boardwalk, they were ready to have me committed. I ended up sneaking out in the dead of night, leaving them a note on the kitchen counter so they wouldn't worry."

"Wow… were they upset?" I asked, turning my head to look over at him.

"At first, they didn't like the idea of their twenty-two year old only son moving across the country to live out of a van." He admitted with a soft laugh.

"Well, that's absolutely understandable."

"Yeah. They're sleeping easier now that I have a roof over my head. It also helps that I'm staying with an actual TV star they can brag to their friends about. Don't worry. I won't squat at Alice's forever. When Jasper gets here, I'll give them their space. I just need a few more weeks, and then I should have enough saved up for first and last month's rent across town. Edward mentioned he may be able to get me a temp job at his agency. If that happens, I'll be set."

I was surprised by what he'd just told me. Edward hadn't mentioned anything about getting Garrett a job at his office, but if he'd said it to Garrett, I knew he must have meant it. I made a mental note to ask him about it later tonight as I folded my hands in my lap.

"What did you use to do? Before becoming a mom, I mean."

"I was a bartender in New York. I worked for my birth dad… before I knew he was my birth dad."

Garrett let out a loud laugh, causing me to smirk. "Um… care to elaborate?"

"Charlie… he kind of came into my life after my parents had passed away without telling me about his complete history with them. He offered me a job, so I'd be able to stay in the city and finish school. I didn't find out till a few years later that he and my mom had actually been a couple. My mom got herself pregnant right before she left him for their best friend."

"Whoa!"

"Yeah… you couldn't make this shit up if you tried."

"So, he became your boss, and never told you he was your dad? How did you find out about his secret?" Garrett asked after pulling into an empty parking lot at the top of a dusty, secluded looking spot that overlooked the ocean.

"I was pregnant with the twins. It all kind of just came tumbling out… thanks to my ex and our own seemingly similar situation. It was a crazy year."

"Sounds like it! You guys close still? You and your birth dad"

"Extremely. He's actually dating Edward's mom now." I shared, grinning to myself as I unbuckled my seat belt and grabbed my sketch bag from the space between my feet. "Alice hasn't filled you in with all of this?"

"Nope. We really only talked last night, for the first time. She was worried about the tabloid shit, and focused on the _now_… not the past. For the most part, she's kept to her room since I've been staying with her."

I let out a sigh and slowly removed myself from the van, then shut the door behind me. He walked along the back to open the side door and grabbed a large wool blanket to carry it in his arms towards the edge of the cliff that we were now at the top of.

"I found this spot the first weekend I was here. It's insane to me that it's always so dead. I mean, I know the water is down below, about five hundred feet, and it can get windy as hell… I would just think this would be a popular make-out spot for all the local teens." he told me with a smirk.

I laughed and shook my head, "Teens around here don't worry about hiding to make-out. They're more prone to proudly post their actual sex tapes on the inter-webs themselves." I informed him with a snicker.

Garrett laughed and shrugged his shoulders, "Yeah, you're probably right. Anyways, I do a lot of my drawing and painting up here on my days off. Do you like to paint?"

"Sometimes. I just don't get to very often. The kids get excited when they see the brushes and immediately think they should be allowed the privilege as well, so it's just easier to stick with pencils and paper." I admitted while I took out my sketch book to set my space up on the blanket that he'd laid out for us.

"I like to paint. It's a little more… forgiving… especially when you're feeling _tense_ and disconnected, thanks to things spiraling out of your control."

I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye and slowly bent down to take my seat, "I just want to sketch today, with my pencils. Maybe I'll pick up a brush next time."

"I like that you're already thinking about our _next_ time."

"Sit your ass down, and set your shit up, Garrett." I warned, hiding my smirk over the sight of his own mischievous grin.

Thankfully, he followed my cue and did as he was told.

I positioned myself at the edge of the blanket and leaned forward to look down over the cliff's jagged rocks while the wind blew my hair across my face. After pulling the loose strands back behind my ears, I opened my book to a fresh page and retrieved my favorite charcoal pencil from its tin box.

Silence.

Some days I hated silence.

Today was one of those days.

"So. The rest of my tale… or back story, if you will... Alice really hasn't shared it all with you?" I casually questioned after starting in on my outline of Bree and the twins running down the hallway together this morning, rushing to greet Mrs. Coupe at the door.

"No. She hasn't. Like I said, she's been rather quiet over the last two days."

"And Google hasn't filled in all the gaps for you?" I teased, before looking back down at the bright paper resting in my lap.

"I've only gotten the basics from Google. You know… your full name, place of birth, date of birth, previous addresses, driver's license number, social security number, schools attended, and a few sketches that have been uploaded to various art blogs." He joked while keeping his own eyes fixed on the drawing he'd begun.

I couldn't help but laugh.

God, did it feel good to laugh.

I decided to reposition myself onto my stomach, with my sketchbook in front of me while I propped myself up on my elbows, "I met Edward right after my ex and I had broken up," I shared.

"Jake?"

"Yes, Jake. He went off on tour with his band and left me behind. I was broken the night Edward found me on the subway. I was emotionally shattered, but he somehow put me back together again."

"Sounds romantic." Garrett replied, just above a whisper.

"It was. As cheesy as it sounds, it was a real, true, love at first sight kind of moment. It just took me a week and a half to realize that." I admitted with a rushed breath escaping past my lips. "Jake had really messed me up, and when he came back… he clouded my head and things _happened_."

"Enter; bad choices, royal fuck ups, drama, and heartache."

"Extremely royal fuck ups." I softly snickered.

"You don't have to tell me all of this, Bella."

I could feel his eyes watching me now while my pencil continued to dance over the page in front of me. "I know I don't. Truthfully… this is more for me than you. I could use the reminder today." I shared a little _too_ honestly, and then glanced over in his direction. I found him staring at me with a look of pity in his eyes. "Edward was… he _is _my soul mate. He repaired me, and made me whole again. He taught me what real love is, and how it can redirect your entire existence. All it took was one random meeting, and he changed my life forever."

"That's a special kind of love to find."

"You have no idea. There was a chance Jake could have," I paused to take in another deep breath before continuing, "Jake could have been the one who had gotten me pregnant with the twins. It was one night, I was drunk, and at the time we were still living together. He said all the right things and the next morning, I woke up in bed with him. Edward could have left me, but he didn't. He never left my side, not even after he found out the date that the twins had been conceived and realized what it meant. He stayed with me, supporting me and every decision I made throughout all of it. Even when I decided to wait to do Madison's second paternity test until after she was born."

"Wow. That's… he's definitely a better man than me."

I smiled at Garrett's statement and began moving my pencil again while I let all the memories that this conversation had conjured up surround me like a brilliant montage of my epically twisted life, minus the music.

"So you guys didn't waste any time then? You were engaged and married within months of having just met, all before finding out who would be the real father of the twins?" Garrett questioned.

"Yeah. It was one of those whirl-wind type of romances that grab you in, and refuse to let you go, even when a shit storm takes over your life. He proposed in Italy, right after Valentine's Day."

"Sounds perfect."

"It was. It really, really was. Jake did his best to mess it all up. He was a thorn in our relationships ass the entire time I was pregnant... insisting on inserting himself even when I made it clear his presence wasn't welcomed. Then he had an accident and spent a few weeks in a coma. When he woke up, he'd suddenly became this new person. I suppose finding out that Edward was factually the father of both of the twins helped him with that, but he definitely did an about face with his behavior." My eyes looked out at the water in front of us and I sat my body up to give my arms a rest. "He finally let me go, and now he's moving in with us next month." I impulsively shared without even thinking it over.

"Say what?!" Garrett gasped, and then shook his head in disbelief, "Your ex is going to live with you?"

"Edward was the one who said it would be okay. I think it's insane. He'll stay out back in the guest house. I have a feeling his fiancé will follow him out here within the first few weeks. She's not as stubborn as I was. She'll follow him wherever he goes. I really do believe that," I replied as I redirected my eyes back onto my drawing that was now resting in my lap.

"Well… I hope it all works out… for everyone involved."

I nodded my head, silently agreeing with him, and began the shading around Aidan's facial features and under his chin.

We sat in silence, just sketching without saying another word for a good hour after that. When I'd finished my second picture, I closed my book and leaned back onto my extended arms. I glanced over at Garrett, but he was completely submerged in what he was doing. His face was very somber, but behind his straight expression, I could see a hint of a smile at the corner of his mouth. He stopped for a moment and used his finger to smudge a section of his drawing, and then looked over to find me staring at him.

"What?"

"Nothing. You're just so serious when you draw. Are you going to let me see it?" I asked, slowly shifting my weight over to try and sneak a peek.

"Not till it's finished… and I'll only show you mine, if you show me yours."

He was grinning that grin again.

I shook my head over his immature line, and let out a sigh, "Don't ruin this. You have to behave, in order for _this_ to work."

"What? I'm only teasing you. Does it really make you uncomfortable?"

"Sometimes," I answered, honestly.

"My apologies, I'll try to be better at _behaving, _my Lady. I've never had many married friends. It's hard for me to get used to there being boundaries."

"Well, there _are_ boundaries, and the sooner you learn to stay on your side of them, the easier it will be for us to hang out. I like you. I didn't want to, but I do, so don't make me regret letting you in, Garrett."

"You like _me_?" he asked, with an exaggerated gasp before covering his mouth.

"As a friend!"

"Oh, right. Right. Of course." He continued to tease, pretending to be embarrassed by his outburst. I gave him a playful shove with my hand and watched silently as he closed his book to toss it to the side of him. "I'm glad we can be friends, Bella. Like I told you before; that's all I want, I'm not looking for anything more. It's just a perk that you happen to also be gorgeous, and a good conversationalist." He shared, and then surprised me by leaning over to brush the hair back behind my ear that a gust of wind had blown across my face.

"Dancing on the edge of that boarder again." I whispered with a straight face.

He laughed and shrugged his shoulder, "It's going to be a process, okay?"

My phone buzzed beside me bringing my attention to its screen. I smiled, seeing Edwards smiling face and opened up his text.

* * *

><p><strong>~ <span>Messages<span>** **~_Edward_~ Edit ~**

**Hey, baby! - 11:47 am**

Hey yourself, Porn Star. How's it going? - 11:48 am

**Stop. We're all done for the morning. Just did ****some blocking and ran lines.**

**I'm free until later tonight. That's when we will ****actually roll tape, and shoot the scene. **

**Where are you? Can you come meet me? - 11:48 am**

Super.

Um… I'm not sure where I am to be honest.

Garrett brought me to some lookout spot over above the cliffs, about 15 min from the house. -11:49 am

**You're with Garrett? -11:50 am**

I told you this morning, we were meeting up to do some sketching. - 11:50 am

**Yeah, you just said you wouldn't be meeting ****up with him until around noon, so I figured you'd ****still be out by yourself.**

**Can he bring you to the set? - 11:51am **

* * *

><p>"Everything okay?" Garrett asked after hearing me let out a soft sigh.<p>

"Yeah, Edward's done for the morning, and has a break. Would it be okay if we wrapped things up? I'm free again tomorrow, if you are."

"I have to work at the park, but you could come meet me out there after my shift ends at one." He suggested as he stood up to pack his things.

"Alright, deal. Would you mind, driving me across town to the set? You can see some of the inner workings of Hollywood." I coaxed, hoping he would be interested, so that he wouldn't mind going out of his way. "I can give you some gas money."

"No problem."

I stood up from the blanket and grabbed my own bag, then slowly began making my way towards his van. I wasn't sure how I felt about going to the set, especially today of ALL days. I would be walking into the place where he would pretend to make love to another woman. I knew people would whisper, especially with all the gossip floating around.

I suddenly found myself considering sending him a text that Garrett had some place he needed to get to, so he wouldn't be able to drive me out that way.

_Or you could just tell him the truth; that it will be uncomfortable as hell for you._

No.

I needed to be a big girl about this.

I needed to remember how strong he had been for me when it was my poor decision making that had caused people to whisper when we would walk by back in New York.

"You okay?" Garrett's voice whispered beside my ear. I looked up and felt like an idiot realizing he had been standing there, holding the door open for me while I'd stared off into space, battling with myself inside of my head.

"Yeah. Totally. Sorry." I slid my body into the seat and swiftly fastened my seat belt across my lap. Once I was settled with my bag by my feet, I took my phone from its pocket and sent Edward a quick text letting him know we were on our way. He instantly replied back with the address and sound stage number, and then let me know our names would be on the guest list at the back gate.

"I'm trying really hard to not get all fan boy right now, but do you think Benjamin Blake will be there? I read he's in the movie with Edward. I'm kind of a huge fan of his."

"No idea, maybe," I whispered in response, before turning my head to look out the window. I cautiously got to work, running my own lines silently, over and over again in my head.

If I saw Maggie… It was going to take everything in me to not give in to the unpleasant mental pictures of her being 'pretend' fucked by my husband later this evening.

I had to prepare myself because if I didn't... once we were in the same room together... there was no telling what would come out of my mouth.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Here comes Maggie. Are we ready? Will Bella be ready? Is Edward _really_ ready?**

**What are we thinking about Edwards excuses for allowing the paps to catch him in such a vulnerable situation? And how about his reasoning behind keeping Maggie's role in the movie a 'secret'? Legit or typical?**

**Garrett... he just keeps inching his way in doesn't he? *smirk***

**Next chapter we visit the movie set, and also head to Disney World!**

**_~~Please review!~~_**

**_**With my reply I'll include an outtake of Edwards morning on the set.**_**

**_'Till next time!_**


	8. Lights, Camera, Mine

_Disclaimer: Twilight and its characters belong to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended with the posting of this story. Stalker, his Care Bear, Princess Bree, and the twins belong to me though. Please respect._

**A/N: Hi! Not much to say here except that this chapter is rated M for it's citrus. *wink***

**Lots of hugs to my fab beta's, **myonlyheroin and taylowendy!****

* * *

><p><strong>Lights, Camera, Mine<strong>

**Chapter 8**

**~*Bella*~**

Aside from the music playing lowly through the beat up speakers on the dashboard, the drive to the studio, with Garrett, was quiet. I anxiously shifted my weight underneath me and hugged my waist with my arms. After taking in a deep breath, then slowly exhaling through my lips, I tried my best to calm my nerves.

"I'm still here if you need to vent. You've obviously got something going on in that head of yours."

I allowed a fake smile to creep across my face and shook my head, "No. I'm okay. I just don't enjoy the fake-ness of Hollywood, or the people in it."

"Yeah, you made that fairly clear at Alice's party the other night. I don't blame you. It's got to be hard to wake up one day and find out that your husband decided he wants bigger and better things for his life without consulting you first."

"Not bigger _or_ better… he just needed a change. He's been working hard to help other people further their dreams, he deserves his own opportunity… if this is something he really wants to do." I insisted, still trying to convince myself on the validity of my own words.

"Then, why the morose mood if you believe all of that?"

I let out a sigh and pulled my hair back off of my shoulders to hold it in my hands at the top of my head. "He wasn't supposed to have a sex scene. I'd found out that changed via text messages on his phone from his best friend at five in the morning, LESS than two days ago." I spat out in one rushed breath, surprising myself with my bitter tone.

I obviously wasn't over it.

The fact that he was now having me come out to the actual set where he would pretend bang his co-star later… it had drudged everything right back up to the surface again.

"A-ha! Well then, I completely understand why you would be upset. I think I'd have a difficult time with all of that, too. I didn't know you'd just found out about the scene, I thought you knew from the very beginning."

"Nope. They just added it Sunday. I've had a full twenty-four hours to let it all settle into my new reality."

"I've always wondered how significant others felt when their partners did those types of scenes on screen with someone else. I mean, I know its fake, but they make it look so damn real sometimes. You can't really fake groping someone's breasts and biting their nipple with your teeth, all while you grind them with your crotch. Hell, the first time I came over a girl, it was while dry humping her damn leg on top of her bed, after sneaking through her window late one night when I was fourteen years old."

"_Not_. Helping. Garrett." I instantly mumbled through clenched teeth, avoiding his eyes.

"Oh! Jesus, sorry. I wasn't thinking."

"Obviously. Make a left up here. We have to go in through the back gate." I instructed him, and then pulled my compact mirror out from my bag to check my reflection. I grabbed the makeup sponge with my fingers and dabbed it under my eyes before applying a fresh coat of lipstick to my lips. After that was accomplished, I gently smoothed my hair down at the top of my head, and let out a loud sigh.

"Relax. You look gorgeous."

I glanced over just in time to find him grinning_ that_ grin. His eyes locked with mine, and I felt an impulsive smirk escape across my lips before I could stop it. "Thanks, _buddy_."

"Anytime, _my_ Lady."

Before I could say anything in response, reprimanding him, it was our turn to talk to the guard. I told him our names, and we showed our I.D.'s. After checking his clipboard he instructed us on where to go next. Three minutes later we were pulling into a parking spot in front of a large three story building with the number 35 hanging just over the white metal door on the ground floor.

"You're sure it's okay for me to come in?"

"Yeah. Come say hi. See if your _man crush_ is here." I teased, throwing him a playful wink from my eye. He chuckled and nodded his head after giving me a light shove from his hand, but refused to look away from me. "You know, I'm pretty impressed that this van of yours made the drive all the way out here from Tennessee." I quickly added, finally breaking our uncomfortable stare as I started to make my way towards the building. I was feeling ridiculously anxious to see Edward now. I could have cared less who else I might also being seeing. None of that seemed to matter anymore. All that mattered was being in my husband's arms again and feeling his mouth against mine.

"Well, we took things nice and slow. What should have been a one and a half day drive, turned into a one and a half week quest." He softly admitted, smiling down at me again. "So, do we just walk in?"

"I'll text Edward." I grabbed my phone from my bag and sent my husband a quick message letting him know that we had arrived. After glancing around the fairly quiet lot, I leaned myself against the wall outside of the door and crossed my arms in front of my chest. "You didn't show me your drawing today."

"You didn't show me yours. I meant what I'd said. Tit, for tat, babe." Garrett surprised me by taking a step to the side in order to block the bright sun from shinning into my eyes. I thanked him with a sarcastic smile, just as he reached out to push a strand of my hair back behind my ear with his fingertips.

"Boundaries."

"Sorry." He dropped his arms dead to his side, as if they'd gone completely limp, and took a step back with a serious but playful expression on his face. His timing couldn't have been better, because two seconds later a familiar voice was calling my name. It was James in his outlandishly expensive Gucci suit and matching sunglasses. Just the sight of him holding two coffees in his hands had me wanting to hide behind Garrett for some reason.

"Bella! So nice to see you, and you're with my second favorite artist. Hello, Garrett. What a pleasant surprise. I was more than disappointed when I received the message yesterday that you had to cancel our meeting."

"Yeah, sorry about that. Things got busy on the beach. I couldn't miss out on the chance to make some extra money."

"Absolutely understandable. I would still appreciate a sit down with you soon, though. How about tomorrow afternoon?" James requested, glancing back and forth between Garrett and I a few times.

"Bella and I have plans actually. To sketch together… for the exhibit."

James smirked, "For the exhibit… well, of course. I suppose we could just do it next week."

"No, it's fine. You two have your meeting. I'll sketch at the house, and whenever you're done, we can meet up and take advantage of whatever time we might have left before Edward gets home." I spoke up, not wanting to get in the way of Garrett having his sit down with James. I knew how much James hated to be kept on the back burner of things. It was one of his biggest pet peeves.

"Okay, if that's all right with you, then I guess I'll meet you at your office around one thirty after my shift at the park, James."

"Splendid, I'm looking forward to it. I imagine we have lots to catch up on. Well, let's get inside then. I know Edward's expecting you, Bella, and it looks like rain is about to settle in. He and Maggie sent me out to fetch them some coffee, so I had to leave them behind. _Alone_."

"Oh… _yay_! Maggie's here. _Super-duper_." I snickered, and then felt a jab in my back. I looked behind me and found Garrett throwing me a look that insinuated I was starting to sound like a psychotic jealous wife. He nodded to the right of us and I followed his gaze, finding Edward sitting by himself on a crate over in a dark corner of the open room. He looked completely absorbed in whatever it was he was reading, and the sight of him actually caused me smile proudly.

"Edward! Pull your head out of that script. Your wife is here."

He looked up and grinned wider than I had seen him do in days, "Hey! God, you look beautiful, Care Bear." Edward cooed beside my ear as soon as he'd jumped up to take me into his arms.

"My hair looks like I just walked through a hurricane, and I'm wearing the oldest jean shorts I own with a Target brand tank top. There's nothing beautiful about this look." I mocked, hiding my smirk from him. Edward leaned down to softly kiss my lips, brushing the side of my face with his fingertips before running them through my hair. He held my face between his hands at his partially opened mouth as it moved gently against mine and I felt my knees shake under his touch. When he brought our kiss to an end, I released a quiet sigh, and felt the cheesiest grin take over my expression.

"You look beautiful, Bella. Don't argue facts with me." He warned, and then kissed the top of my head affectionately, before turning his attention towards my doodle companion. "Hi, Garrett. Thanks for playing chauffer to my wife. I appreciate it."

"Anytime. It's nice to see you again. This place is pretty incredible. Hard to believe this is what movies are actually made of… framed rooms with hollowed walls."

"Yup, Hollywood magic at its finest. It all may look insanely real on screen, but none of it ever is. It's just glitz and glam used for perfecting make-believe."

I knew those words were meant for me, and not Garrett, so I forced a smile and nodded my head, agreeing with my husband, but avoiding his eyes with my own.

"Everyone's pretty much gone. Maggie is in the back trying on some things wardrobe left for her, but she's about to head over to the other stage to shoot some stuff with Ben."

"Benjamin Blake?" Garrett whispered in obvious awe.

I giggled and playfully punched his arm, "Roll your tongue back up into your mouth, buddy."

"Um yeah… that would be Ben. Do you know him?" Edward questioned, looking a little confused by mine and Garrett's exchange.

"Ben is Garrett's man crush." I shared, and then received my own shove from Garrett's hand.

"Jesus! Good to know you _can't_ keep a secret!"

"Bella and I have no secrets, Garrett. I assure you. Hey James, why don't you let Gar tag along with you when you walk Maggie over to the other sound stage? You can introduce him to Ben; seems our lone artist has a bit of a man crush."

"I'd be happy to. If Maggie ever gets her ass out of that damn lingerie."

I sucked in a deep breath and crossed my arms in front of me, not welcoming the mental picture that James had so carefully forced into my memory for later analyzing.

"Shut your wicked mouth, James. I'm out, dressed, and ready for my next scene. Hello, Bella. It's nice to see you again." At the sound of a new voice I turned to find Maggie standing behind us, wearing a white robe and her mesmerizing smile. Her dark red hair cascaded across her shoulders, perfectly framing her gorgeous face that I instantly wanted to bitch slap until her ivory skin turned a crimson shade of red that would give the color of her luscious locks a run for its money.

"Hi, Maggie. It's been a while… last Christmas, I think?"

"Yup, at the agency's party. I think I may have had one too many that night, so most of the evening is a blur. I do remember that stunning ruby red dress you wore, though. I had Liam go out and buy me the same one the very next day."

I smiled and leaned myself deeper into Edward where he was still holding me tightly up against his solid body.

"How is Liam?" I asked, trying my best to sound sincere.

It was widely known that Maggie and Liam were an item and had been ever since they'd first stared in a movie together last year. Before Liam, it had been Eric Yorkie… and before Eric Yorkie, Alistair Euro. All of whom she'd also stared in a movie with. She had quite the reputation for always 'finding love' on set with one of her co-stars… which was just another reason why her being cast in this film had instantly bothered me.

It was also probably one of the reasons why Edward had kept it from me.

He himself had shared a few jokes, and made several comments in the past about Maggie, and her inability to separate her professional life from her personal life.

"Liam and I… we decided to take some time a part. But thank you for asking, Bella. Maybe someday I'll find myself a real Prince Charming. Someone as dashing as your own hubby. He's quite the catch, but you know that already. I'm not giving up. I'll find my special someone. My mom keeps telling me I need to stop looking, because that's when it will happen."

"Wow… I'm sorry to hear about you and Liam." Edward spoke up, joining our conversation, after I'd found myself unable to verbally respond to her news.

I was now digging my nails into his back and my action had caused him to impulsively lurch forward from beside me. He coughed into his closed fist and began rubbing small circles against the swell of my back.

"He is a nice guy… just not _my_ guy. We're better off as friends. Enough, though, about my boring, freshly nonexistent love life. It seems that the most action I'll be receiving anytime soon will have to come from your husband, Bella, and Ben too, of course." She was laughing, but the rehearsed line she had just delivered had fallen incredibly flat. I'd never thought of her as being a very good actress, and she'd without a doubt just solidified that opinion for me.

"Ha. _So_. Funny." I somehow got out, between my clenched teeth, shocking myself that I'd even managed that much without ripping her red extensions out of her head.

"Well, hello handsome. I don't believe we've met." Maggie had turned herself from our conversation and was now extending her hand out towards Garrett. He looked like a lost little puppy, unable to bark or yelp a single word. I kicked him with my shoe and he quickly snapped out of it to gently take her hand to his lips.

"Maggie, this is my friend, Garrett. We're doing an art exhibition together in a few months." I spoke up, while she kept her eyes fixated on Garrett, and only Garrett.

"It's a pleasure. You're an artist? Very nice. Maybe you can draw me a picture sometime."

I shifted my weight on my feet and rolled my eyes while we waited for Garrett to find his tongue.

"That would be _my_ absolute pleasure." He finally answered after a few awkward seconds of mind numbing silence. It took everything in me not to laugh out loud.

"All right, well, let's get you across the lot, Maggie, so you can get that scene done. Time is money, and we all know it's going to take a few takes to make Val happy." James insisted, before taking Maggie by the elbow to begin pulling her away. "Coming, Garrett?"

"Yeah! I- I'll be back, Bella."

I smirked with a flip of my hand and watched Garrett run to catch up with James and the women who would be haunting me in my dreams for the next few nights.

"Ciao, Isabella! Don't worry about tonight. I know Edward will be a total gentleman."

I forced another smile and nodded my head while waving a quick goodbye to them, and then pinched Edward's side with my other hand. "I-want-to-_smack_-her." I snarled through my teeth as my hand continued to wave like a prom queen beside my stiffened shoulder.

As soon as the door shut behind them, he instantly spun me around to pull me up against his body. His hands reached up to gently hold my face between his finger tips, and he looked directly into my eyes as he began walking me backwards with slow purposeful steps.

"Enough. I don't want you to worry for another single second about Maggie, or any other woman who may inadvertently become a part of my life temporarily. You, Bella Swan-Cullen, are the only woman I will ever have eyes for until the day I leave this earth. Your body is the only body I'll want to hold against mine, and your lips, are the only lips I'll ever want to have on me, moving against my skin. You have nothing to worry about when it comes to Maggie, because there is nothing she can take from you. You own my heart, and my soul." He insisted, without breaking our stare. I felt my knees tremble over the sound of his words, and released a soft gasp when my back ran into a wall with a soft thud. I glanced around and noticed he had walked us onto one of the dark sets that looked to be an old fashioned kitchen. I quickly remembered that the movie took place in the sixties and smiled up into his eyes.

"Stalker… what are you doing?" I questioned, running my hand up into his hair to give it a soft tug. He grunted on cue and smirked down into my eyes.

"I'm enjoying some _alone_ time with my gorgeous wife."

"Alone?"

"We're alone, baby. I promise. When the set goes dead, everyone scatters," he insisted, tilting my chin upward, towards his perfect lips. He kissed me deeply and pressed his hands into my back to pull my body firmly into his hips. I felt his awakened cock between my legs and moaned without hesitation. I was instantly craving to be absent of our clothes. I needed to feel all of him against my skin or I'd be leaving this studio an unhappy woman this afternoon.

"Someone could walk in." I whispered into the air as he began raining kissing down my neck and across the curve of my clavicle.

"No one is going to walk in, Bella. The doors lock behind themselves and everyone with a key is busy on the stage down the block. We have this entire space to ourselves. I promise." He softly shared into my ear while reaching his hand down to slide it up under my shirt. He grabbed at my breast, and then pulled at my erect nipple with the tips of his fingers, causing me to release a rushed yelp from between my parted lips. Slowly, I felt his left leg make its way between my knees. He pressed his upper thigh into me and began spreading my legs further apart while keeping his lips locked against the skin on my neck. I moaned, feeling him push his knee further into me until I finally melted into his arms.

"Have you missed me, baby?"

"I always miss you when you're not around. You know that." I replied, meaning every single word.

"Even when _he's_ around?"

His question caused me to pause and pull his face up away from the center of my chest where his mouth had begun to land warm sensual kisses across my tingling skin.

"No one… _No one_ could ever replace my desire to have you by my side at every second, during every single day, Edward."

As soon as those words left my lips, he attacked my mouth with his own. He lifted my legs up off of the ground to wrap them around his torso, and pressed me further against the wall before biting hard at my neck. I moaned loudly, surprising even myself with the volume I'd allowed to escape me. With my mouth moving against his, I reached my hands over the top of his shoulders and into his shirt so I'd be able to feel his warm skin with my fingertips. I ran my nails down the center of his back and shifted my weight deeper into him, wanting to feel his excitement deep between my thighs that were now spread widely around him.

I was trembling over his touch. Longing to make this moment last forever, because these were the moments that reminded me of how we'd come to be, and why he would always own every part of my mind, body, and soul.

"I want to take these shorts off of you, _Bella_."

"Then take them off, _Stalker_."

He grunted and swiftly lowered me down so that my feet would be resting safely on the ground again. I watched him with desire taking over my entire existence as he got down onto his knees. When he was eye level with my hips, his words ordered me to unbutton my shorts. He licked his lips while his fingers traced at the upper part of the jean fabric that was now mocking him. I followed his prompt immediately, and without hesitation.

As soon as I'd pulled the metal button through the slot at the top of my shorts, he yanked the zipper down and pulled my shorts to my ankles.

"I can't believe you have me in my underwear, pinned against a wall on a movie set… a movie set where you'll be pinning someone else in a few hours." I shared, just above a whisper.

"Stop. This is _our_ moment. No one else's. What happens later… it will be a kiddie ride in comparison to what were about to do, Care Bear. I guaran-fucking-tee you."

His promise instantly caused me to release a low moan from between my pressed lips.

I kicked my shorts away from my legs and gently stepped out to spread myself wider before his fired up eyes where he'd remained down on his knees in front of me.

"Huh… well…You better get busy then, because my body is in desperate need of some mind blowing entertainment." I challenged in return, a wide grin escaping past my lips as I looked down into his eyes.

Christ. His eye fucks were always amazing. They could literally bring me to my own knees if I ever dared to stare for too long.

He growled, acknowledging my words, and then slowly dug his face deep between my legs. His warm, moist breath against my panties had me whimpering within seconds. "Jesus, I love your mouth." I whispered, tilting my head back into the wall that he was still pressing me into as my fingers got lost in his fuck-me-please hair.

He slid a single digit between the lace fabrics of my underwear and then pulled it to the side, allowing the cool air to meet my sensitive dampened skin. His action gave his tongue the access it would need in order to make my body quake over his opened mouth once his fingers and lips would begin working their blissful magic.

"Jesus, Bella. You could be a porn star. Your naked body... perfect breasts... gorgeous pussy... under these lights… fuck."

"I think it's enough having _one_ actor in the family." I teased, before grabbing at his hair to pull his head back to look me in the eyes. "I seriously can't believe we're doing this."

He grinned and gave me a playful wink, then slowly reached his arms up to slide his opened hands upward across the center of my belly. He made his way under my tank top, and grabbed at my aroused nipples. His fingers pulled at their peeks, releasing a soft whimper from between my trembling lips, and my shirt and bra were gone from my body within seconds.

I was now pinned against the wall, wearing nothing but my soaking wet panties, pulled to the side, while he worked my pussy with his mouth and magical fingers. I moaned loudly and grabbed at the counter top beside us, praying it would help keep myself upright on my feet while he rocked me forward and backward against his masterful lips and warm soft tongue.

He seemed to take note in the delicate situation I was finding myself in, because a few seconds later, after a couple of soft, 'oh fuck'-s, he slowed down his pace, and pulled himself away from my pulsing clit.

I looked down as he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. He grinned up at me and leaned back onto his extended arms. "Honestly, baby, this has been a fantasy of mine since my first day on a set as an agent. Having you alone, all to myself, in a make believe world, paused from reality, and passersby."

"I'm starting to think you get a high off of the idea of getting caught by said passersby's, Stalker." I gently accused, grinning down at him with the glimmer of my moist excitement still resting on his bottom lip. I reached forward to run my hand across the side of his face, and then wiped my juices from his mouth to bring my finger to my own lips and slid it across my tongue. "Mmmm-hm, Jesus, Edward, you make me taste so good."

"I could live between your legs for days, Care Bear. Be honest though, you enjoy the high just as much as I do. It makes it all the more thrilling, thinking someone could walk in and catch us, while I have you pulled against my face, lapping up every last drop as you circle your hips over my hungry mouth."

"You're crazy," I whispered, my breathing now slightly erratic after his fingers had made their way back against the space between my legs.

"Only about you… and this." He finished his statement by reaching out to grab at my hips, then instantly returned his tongue to my swollen clit.

"Oh God! You're mouth!"

"Louder, Bella!"

"Fuck my pussy with your tongue, Stalker!" I yelped, pleading with panic in my voice as it echoed off the walls of the sound stage. I grabbed at the back of his head and pulled him in deeper with my trembling hands. He swirled his mouth against my opening and pinched my sensitive lips with his fingertips before sliding his long fingers deep inside of me. "Oh God! Yes! Don't stop!" I ordered, moving my hips in rhythm with his own orchestrated lip ballet.

He caused me to gasp when he pulled back and stood up before me, grinning with a satisfied expression on his face. "No!" I pleaded, teetering on the edge of a full blown temper tantrum.

"Yes! Now, bend over, I want to smack that flawless ass of yours, Care Bear." He ordered, and then ran his tongue across his top lip, before placing his strong hands against the bare skin at my hips. He turned me around with one swift motion, and pushed my body forward against the counter top I'd been propping my arm against for the last few minutes of my bliss-filled life. I heard him fiddle with his belt buckle, and then came the sound of his zipper.

I moaned in anticipation, craving like never before to feel him inside of me.

His pants fell at his ankles, and before I could take in another breath, his cock was pressed between my ass cheeks, mocking me…taunting me in the most painful of ways.

"Do you want me to fuck you with my cock now?" He questioned, his finger tracing the tiny heart tattoo on the cheek of my ass.

"I do." I effortlessly moaned, and then reached behind me to grab at his own ass, so I'd be able to pull him in further against me. His hand slid up my naked back to bend me forward, so that my breasts would be pressed against the cold tile of the counter top. The touch of the marble against my perked nipples caused me to whimper in ecstasy. His hands were back at my ass now. I felt the hard smack come from the palm of his hand, his fingers cupped to create an echo in the room with his lust filled action. My body jerked forward and a devious grin spread across my face.

"Harder." I challenged, already smiling to myself as I anticipated the sting he would soon unleash upon me. I extended my reach to stretch my torso across the counter top's smooth surface. I raised my feet up onto my tippy toes in order to create an angle I knew would drive him absolutely wild. He shifted my weight side to side before him, with my ass on full display and took in a deep breath before slowly exhaling from behind me.

"Jesus, baby. You are so fucking unbelievable. You have no idea what this is doing to me right now." He shared, with a low grunt following his carefully spoken words.

"Spank me harder, Stalker. I deserve it. I deserve it for ever thinking you would stray."

_SMACK!_

I lurched forward and let out a loud grunt, "That's better." I moaned, and then let my right hand reach behind my back to touch the spot he had just set on fire with his opened palm.

"I would never stray, Bella._ Never_." With his last word I felt his cock slide between my legs towards my wet opening that was now pleading to be conquered by him. Without a verbal warning, he forced himself deep inside of me. I called out his name in bliss driven ecstasy and spread my legs further in front of his firmed perfection.

"Oh God! Your cock! It feels so damn good!"

"Your pussy, baby! Your pussy feels so damn good around my cock!" He continued to rock me forward and backwards as I remained positioned over the counter top. I thought for certain I was going to lose myself within seconds if he didn't slow his pace. His right hand began messaging the swell of my back, while his left remained positioned at my hip to keep me in place as we moved against one another.

He snaked his arm down across my waist, and then up the center of my belly to stand me upright with my back against his solid chest. The smell of sex invaded my senses. I could still feel him moving inside of me as his hands pressed me deeper against him. With his mouth against my ear, he prompted me to lift my foot up onto the small crate beside our feet, and I instantly fulfilled his request. The motion granted him even deeper access and it had me screaming his name after three more solid thrusts from his swollen cock.

"Fuck, Edward! I'm going to come!" I warned in panic, digging my chin down into my chest as I tried to steady my rampant breathing.

He responded by yanking my head back to attack my neck with his teeth, "Come, baby. I want you to come, and while you come, I want you to tell this room how much you love me, and _only_ me." He demanded beside my ear, causing my body to convulse around his cock.

"Christ! I'm coming! Don't stop! I love YOU so damn MUCH! Edward-Masen-Cullen! You-are-my-god-damn-LIFE!" I affirmed at the top of my lungs, as I lost myself against him completely.

I turned my head to look back into his eyes and felt my body quiver once more over the look I'd received. I could see it on his face. I could read it in his expression as he violently came inside of me just a few seconds later. He loved me. Only me. I was his, and he was mine. No one else could ever test, or question that. I wouldn't allow it. He wouldn't allow it. He would forever be my world, and I would always be his; no matter who tried to get in the way. What we had, it was stronger than anything else on this planet, and as long as he looked at me with that sparkle… with that love in his eye, then I knew… I knew, I would never have anything else to worry about because he would always take care of me.

He would never let me down.

"I love you, Bella." He whispered after bringing his lips against my ear to softly nibble at its sensitive skin.

"I love you, Edward." I easily returned with a smirk, and then shifted my weight so I'd be able to spin my naked body around in his arms to press myself against his belly with my own. He kissed me firmly and held onto my bottom lip with his teeth. I moaned and slid my hands down his back to playfully squeeze at his ass and bring him in deeper up against me. "We should get dressed. Our luck is about to run dry. I can feel it." I warned with a smirk, as I wiggled out of his grasp to grab my clothes that had been tossed a few feet away.

When I bent down to pick up my shirt, he slapped my bottom one last time and let out a playful grunt from between his lips, "Christ, woman. The things your ass does to me!" He lustfully declared at the top of his lungs, and then turned to go grab his own shirt from the other side of the faux kitchen.

After pulling my shorts on, I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. I reached in and unlocked its home screen to check my messages.

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><p><em><span><strong>Messages<strong>__**~ Garrett ~**__**Edit**_

**I realize these stages are supposed to be sound proof, but apparently you and Edward broke through that barrier. I didn't dare interrupt. So… yeah… I'm outside. Do you need a lift home or are you going to stick around for a while? 12:46 PM**

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><p>I could feel my cheeks blushing almost instantly over the realization that we'd been heard. "Um, are you staying, or can you come home before you shoot your scene?" I asked, before turning around to see Edward buckling his pants back up at his midline. He looked over and frowned, which gave me my answer before he even had to open his mouth.<p>

"You're staying."

"I should. I need to run some lines with Ben and wardrobe still needs to fit me for my last scene." He explained, sounding genuinely disappointed with his decision.

"It's okay. Garrett is still here. Outside. He can give me a lift home." I told him, then slowly made my way to wrap my arms around his torso. I could smell myself on him, and the scent had me craving more, but I knew I had to behave. I'd gotten my fix, and tonight when he got home, after he'd pretend fucked the newest red head in his life, I would make him forget all about her existence, and the pretend moments they may have shared.

"I'll walk you out." He slapped my ass one more time, and I giggled after he slid his hand into my back pocket to give my tingling cheek a firm squeeze in his palm. "Thank you for taking the edge off."

"I'm happy to be your fluffer anytime, _Stalker_." I teased playfully as I pushed the door open in front of me that would take us back out into the parking lot. He laughed and pulled me back into him to land a kiss against my neck after pulling my hair behind my shoulders again.

"Seriously though, woman, I love you. So God damn much. Always remember that." He whispered into my ear, creating goose bumps across my skin, just as I'd spotted Garrett leaning against his van about fifty feet away.

He nodded his head, acknowledging our arrival, and I smiled in his direction after offering a short wave from my hand.

"I know you do, and I always will remember that. I'm sorry for being so weird these last couple of days. Our…we… nothing will ever again make me question what we have." I stopped us from walking and took Edward's hands into mine, and then looked directly into his eyes, "Without you, I would have nothing. I would _be_ nothing." I reminded him, before standing on my tippy toes to softly kiss his lips.

He moaned against my mouth and slowly pulled away to look back into my eyes again, "You plus me, five we'll forever be, baby."

I giggled and nodded my head as his smile warmed me from the inside out. He took my hands and raised them up to his lips, then gently pulled me forward to continue our path towards my ride home.

"You'll get my wife home safely?"

"Of course I will." Garrett answered, smiling at my husband, while avoiding my own eyes at the moment.

"Good. Thanks for bringing her by. I appreciate it."

"Oh, I'm sure you did."

Edward laughed nervously, obviously picking up on what Garrett was insinuating, and then slapped his hand over his shoulder.

"My assistant, Riley, he's going back-packing across Europe next month for a little over four weeks. Are you available to fill in while he's gone, Garrett?"

His question had almost knocked the wind out of me.

Even Garrett looked completely blindsided.

"Um, yeah. Absolutely. I'll um… give the park my notice tomorrow."

"Great. I can't promise you anything past the four weeks, but if you do your job right, I'm sure we'll be able to find something to keep you busy." Edward shared, and then extended his hand out towards Garrett.

A part of me had to wonder if this was his way of keeping my new friend in check. Giving him a job would make it much more difficult for Garrett and I to spend time together drawing... alone. Edward trusted me, though. I believed that. So, I quickly shook that thought from my head and landed another kiss to my husband's cheek.

"I'll see you tonight, Stalker. Love you."

"Love you, too, Care Bear. Later, Garrett."

"Break a leg, boss." Garrett answered with a nod of his head, as he pushed himself further off his van with a shove of his foot.

"That's theater talk. If you're going to work for me, you need to learn the lingo." Edward teased with his gorgeous smile. I laughed and gave him another quick hug.

After turning to open the passenger door of the van, awkwardness swiftly settled in.

Both Edward and Garrett had reached out to open the door for me.

"I've got it." My husband softly insisted, after raising his brow in Garrett's direction. I smiled and blew Edward a kiss, and then waited for his hand to pull the metal door open in front of me. "I'll see you in a few hours. Stay up for me?"

"Of course I will." I promised, before leaning my body in to kiss him firmly against my mouth. He moaned and held my face in place between his hands while his lips slowly opened against mine. Our tongues moved against one another for a few lust filled seconds, and I instantly felt a brand new puddle develop between my legs.

"Go." I whispered, my eyes closed, and forehead pressed against his.

"I love you." He reminded me one last time.

"I know you do. I'll text you in a bit. Go knock'em all dead on the _first_ take. PLEASE, get it on the first take." I toyed, before blowing him another kiss from my hand.

"I will, baby. Promise."

I waved goodbye and felt the engine roar underneath me just as Garrett took the van out of park to get us moving out of the parking spot.

My eyes remained glued on the rear view mirror, watching Edward as he shrank smaller and smaller in its reflection while the van drove us back towards the gate that would take us to the main road home.

"Can I, um… ask you something without you getting all weird-ed out?" Garrett questioned after a few silent minutes.

"Well, I'm not sure I can promise you I won't get all _weird-ed_ out." I replied, while grinning to myself, before I'd even turned my head to look over at him.

He laughed and shrugged his shoulders, "Fair enough. I guess I could just take my chances."

"You could. Or you could just leave it alone and mind that boundary we've talked about." I suggested after turning my attention to glance back outside of the window I'd leaned my shoulder up against.

"True. I could do that. Forget I said anything. Want to go draw some more on Alice's porch? It's still super early." He pointed out, his eyes set on the road in front of us.

"Sure. We could do that."

I was twitching to sketch an outline of the memorable moment Edward and I had just shared, but in a PG-13 kind of way. I'd include the set lights, and the lifeless camera's that had witnessed the obvious lust and obsession we'd both shared for one another, while no one else had been around to observe it as it happened.

Frame by frame.

Thrust by thrust.

I squirmed in my seat, remembering it all as I continued to stare out the window where clouds were beginning to swoop over the city skyline.

I already knew I would use the sketch in the exhibition. I loved the way Edward's face blushed after seeing one of my more intimate drawings of us. I could almost always see the memory instantly begin to replay itself in his eyes as he'd gaze at what my hand had created from the moment I'd stored in the back of my head.

"_So_, Maggie gave me her number and asked me to call her later. She wants to set up a time for me to come over to discuss a freelance job."

"Sounds promising. You should do it." I insisted, feeling sincerely excited for him. All it took was one job in this town with the right person, and more would follow. It's what happened with me when Jake's band let me do their cover art for their first major album.

"All right. I guess I will. I just don't want it to distract me from _other_ things."

I looked over and found his eyes on me. He smiled, and without saying another word, he turned to redirect his attention back onto the road as he pulled into our neighborhood.

"Sometimes distractions can be a good thing, Garrett."

"Oh. I absolutely agree with that, if it's the right distraction, Bella, at the right moment." He softly answered. I could see a smirk at the corner of his lips, but he was determined to keep this one hidden. "You know what, fuck it. I'm going to ask. Why does Edward call you, _Care Bear_?"

I looked over at him with surprise on my face. No one had ever straight up asked me that before, and Edward and I were fairly open about using our nicknames in front of anyone and everyone.

"Um, yeah. I claim the, _Boundaries Act of B and G_, and refuse to respond to said inquiry." I finally replied with a roll of my eyes, as I flashed him a sarcastic thumbs up.

"We have an executive order, do we?"

I smiled and adamantly nodded my head, "Yup. We do. Now let's go doodle… in silence." I answered with absolute in my tone, just as he pulled his van into Alice's empty drive way to put it into park.

"Fair enough. I'll get you to tell me one day."

I laughed and shook my head disagreeing with him, before reaching down to grab the bag that was resting between my feet, "Try all you want. It will never happen."

He smirked and shot me a careless wink from his eye, "Challenge accepted, _my_ Lady."

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><p><strong>AN: So Garrett's got a new job. How plotted do you think that was on Edward's part? **

**Hopefully this chapter made up for some of Edwards previous bad behavior. **

**A few of you were starting to like Garrett in the last chapter. I'm wondering if those feelings have changed at all. ;)**

**Thoughts on Maggie? James? Bella?**

**Next Chapter; A family vacation to Orlando, away from Tinseltown... a welcomed treat. We will also be seeing Jake again when Bella and the family visit New York before heading home. **

****Please Review****

***As thanks, I'll reply with an outtake from EPOV during this chapter***

***Edward's inner dialogue will involve some of his thoughts regarding Garrett. *wink***


	9. Permission To Take Off

_Disclaimer: Twilight and its characters belong to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended with the posting of this story. Stalker, his Care Bear, Princess Bree, and the twins belong to me though. Please respect._

__**A/N:** **Hi again. I owe you guys a big "I'm Sorry!" for the delay in this chapter. August was a tough month in my RL. Between illnesses in my house and a terrible case of writers block/frustration, it's been a rough few weeks. I hope you'll forgive me for taking some extra time with this chapter. I'm back at it, but I think from this chapter on, my updates will be shorter than what they have been in the past. Also, thanks to my writers block I've decided to make a few changes to the outline I've been working off of. So expect the unexpected if we've talked via PM's, and ignore anything I may have said in past A/N's in regards to things to come. I do have a new story that's posted. It was my entry in the Dirty Talkin Edward contest that I've decided to extend into a short multi chapter. I'm not sure what the update schedule will be for that one because TMF is my priority, but I am currently working on both at the same time. Alrighty, without further delay, let's get to it. **__

**__Big GIANT thanks to my girls taylowendy and myonlyheroin! I honestly couldn't ask for two better beta's, and they were there holding my virtual hand while I battled the evils of Writer-Block! lol__**

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><p><strong>Permission To Take Off<strong>

** Chapter 9**

**~Bella~**

Another week had come and gone. Thankfully, Edward had finished up on set and was back to work at his office playing _Super-Agent_ across town. This had allowed me the opportunity to slowly begin scrubbing the mental pictures from my devious imagination of Maggie Lauren molesting his body with her mouth and hands while the camera's and crew watched their every move from a distance.

Edward had jumped right back into wheeling and dealing roles for the couple of clients he was still handling, but I could tell he missed the excitement that came along with being on a live set in front of the camera lens, rather than standing in the shadows behind one. There was just something different about him when he was home and that difference had unfortunately made itself noticeably clear right away.

My husband had found a new love.

Her name was acting, and she'd apparently stolen his heart.

Okay, maybe I'm being a bit overly dramatic, but it was obvious that he longed to be reciting lines from a script while being filmed, rather than running them off camera with a client.

This was fact, and I was now living with the reality of it.

We hadn't talked much about the scene he and Maggie had done together, absent of their clothes, but I'd replayed the worst case scenarios over and over again during those first few days. Ultimately, I'd decided that it would be better to not pry for information. And because of my decision, we'd made a pact to never discuss any of it again unless I brought it up myself, which I was of course determined to never-ever do.

The day my family and I had been anticipating was finally here. As soon as Edward arrived home from work, we'd leave for the airport to take our mini vacation to Orlando, Florida. Much to the twin's disappointment, it had been raining all day long. Thanks to the untimely weather, and them not getting their 'outside chaos time', getting everyone packed and ready to walk out the door on time for our flight… well, let's just say it had felt like that chaotic scene from _Home Alone_ when everyone wakes up late and their all scrambling around in complete panic.

It certainly didn't help that Bree had apparently experienced a terrible day at school and never wanted to go back. Like, ever.

Maddie and Aidan were in rare form; acting as if they'd had nothing to eat but candy and ice cream all day long, and I'd been teetering towards migraine status since about one-thirty this afternoon.

By the time Edward had gotten home from the office, I was ready to beg him to change our seats on the flight so that I'd be able to sit First Class with a Bloody Mary in my hand while he sat in coach with the kids.

I was in desperate need of a break, especially since Mrs. Coupe had been sick for the last two days. I hadn't had much time to breathe, let alone take a breath in silence during the last forty-eight hours.

Edward greeted me at the door with a nice surprise though that had instantly brightened my mood.

We wouldn't be flying commercial after all.

Apparently, James had invited us to use the agency's private jet for our trip to Florida. According to Edward, his partner had decided to head to Miami to meet with a potential client. Because of that _random_ decision, Mr. Nomadio felt it made absolute sense for us all to fly together.

There were of course pro's and con's to this arrangement, but I was determined to only focus on the pro's. I refused to let our vacation get off on the wrong foot, or let Edward think he'd made a poor choice when he accepted James' offer.

Just another perfect coincidence, as usual, when it came to James Nomadio and his inner workings.

Funny how often these coincidences seemed to be occurring these days.

As we approached the plane on the tarmac, I forced a smile and looked up into the eyes of the one man who had the ability to make my skin crawl with a simple wink and tilt of his head.

James was already standing in the opened door way of the swanky aircraft with his Cheshire grin safely in place and his arms crossed in front of his body. I took in a slow shallow breath, anticipating the verbal exchange that was about to commence between the two of us, and then softly exhaled.

"Bella! It's so nice that you and the family could join me this evening."

I smiled again and offered a slight nod from my head while avoiding absolute eye contact with him, "You're a brave man, James, offering to share the jet with us. I only hope you realize they're two years old now, not infants who will sleep during most of the flight." I joked just as he extended his hand downward towards me; offering to help me up the steps, onto the small aircraft. Edward had both Maddie, and Aidan in his arms, and Bree was standing closely beside my hip, muffling her excitement from behind her opened hand that she'd pressed against her mouth.

I grinned after noticing her eyes wide in awe over the sight of the plane we were now boarding.

"This is not the same metal bird. This is a little itty bitty metal bird!"

"You're right, Princess Bree. This is not the same plane you're probably used to. This is a small metal bird. It's a newborn to the agency. Do you like it?" James asked after bending down to greet my step-daughter.

"It _is_ nice. It _will_ do. Let us fly then. Cinderella and the Prince… They are waiting you know, in their giant castle at the end of the Main Street. We must go! We must go!" My stepdaughter sang to her own made up melody while avoiding actual eye contact with anyone standing around her.

I smiled at Edward and he grinned back at me before shooting me a swift wink from his eye. As soon as he'd set the twins down onto their feet, they'd quickly made their way to the back of the plane to start running circles after one another.

"I'll take care of them. Go, let James pour you a drink and get settled in. Take a minute to breathe. You deserve it. I've got everything under control, I promise. Go and take a well-earned time out, Care Bear." Edward gently whispered beside my ear after he'd stepped up from behind me to wrap his firm arms around my body. He pulled my back up against his chest, and I felt myself easily mold against him.

"You're sure? You know how Aidan gets during takeoff." I reminded him, already noticing his, '_I've got this, don't question me_.' smirk.

"I'm one-hundred and ten percent sure! Aidan will be fine. I downloaded a new _Yo Gabba Gabba_ app for the iPad." He slyly admitted with another quick wink from his eye. I felt his hands at my back as he gave me a light push towards the front of the plane and smiled to myself, already knowing there would be no point in arguing with him.

"Cheater. You're not supposed to succumb to the evils of easy parenting via electronic devices." I teased, unable to hide my own smirk. Truthfully, I was impressed. He had planned ahead and had come prepared. Points should, and would, be awarded.

Of course, this was just another fabulous perk when it came to flying on a private jet; you didn't get the same BS rhetoric about having to turn off any, and all things that could ultimately save your life while flying with toddlers. Things like, iPads, iPhones, Portable DVD players, Kindle's, and or Laptops.

Because you know, an iPad could absolutely take down an aircraft with just a single tap on its screen.

And an iPhone?

Forget about it.

You might as well predict, and plan your funeral because if you do succumb to the damning temptation to check your Facebook after those wheels leave the ground… BAM.

Your ass is in the grass.

Doom and gloom I tell you!

Absolute-mayhem.

"What will it be, Bella? Vodka, rum, tequila, or maybe just a nice glass of wine?" James prompted, breaking me from my overly sarcastic internal rant once I'd casually taken my seat in the large leather chair beside the mini bar.

"Um, Bloody Mary, please."

He smiled and shot me a brash wink from his right eye.

"One Bloody Mary coming right up, pretty lady."

I glanced over to look out the window, doing my best to act as if James' words hadn't sent a shiver down my spine once he got busy mixing my drink. I could hear Edward softly coaching the kids about the takeoff, and what it would bring as far as noise, and 'adventure' when it came to their little ears, and felt my own body begin to relax with every word he spoke.

I couldn't help but smile. He was so good with them. At times it was surreal just how easy being a father actually came to my husband… _when_ he was around to fulfill those fatherly duties.

"So, Bella, are you as impressed as I am by the overnight success of your humble man? Who knew he could be such a natural in front a camera? To think, I could have been making tenfold on his ass all this time!"

"Life is about much more than money, James. My husband enjoys his time in front of the cameras, but he also enjoys his job working alongside of you, especially when you're not stressing him out by piling client after client onto him."

"True. Very true, and he's a phenomenal agent, but now is his time to be more, _much_ more. He was born to be_ in_ movies. It really is pretty incredible, his story. What he's managed to accomplish without even trying. His name is already being whispered amongst all the right people here in Hollywood."

I nodded my head, silently agreeing with him, before taking a long hard sip from the glass he had handed to me. I swallowed back the warm familiar taste of tomato juice mixed with vodka, and then slowly exhaled. "Edward is good at everything he does. He has no weaknesses, and he doesn't do anything half ass. So of course he's being talked and whispered about. Of course, everyone is going to want him now that he's jumped right into it all. I knew that going in. None of this is a surprise to me. It's all been expected from the word 'go', James."

My husband's partner looked over and smiled in my direction before casually crossing his arms in front of his chest. My response had backed him into a corner. He was going to change the subject now.

One thing about James', he was always easy to read; that fact was what made being around him so unbearable sometimes.

"So, I heard your ex's band will be playing at the _House of Blues_ while you're in Orlando. Will you be attending the show?"

I was surprised by his random inquiry, as well as his knowledge when it came to my ex and his bands happenings.

"Yes, it was actually one of the reasons why Edward chose this weekend for our trip. He thought it would be a nice surprise. Jake's fiancé will be staying in with the kids Sunday night while we go see the band play."

"You know, I could always swing back through and help babysit." James offered, still grinning as he raised his own clear glass up to his parted lips.

From where I was sitting across from him, I could smell the vodka he had mixed in with his ice. It wasn't a pleasant smell. Straight Vodka had never been my friend. As a matter of fact, the last time our paths had crossed it had been the same evening I'd almost ruined my life by falling back into the arms of my ex. I shivered after allowing myself to relive that moment for only a fraction of a second.

"That won't be necessary. Your services are needed in Miami. You mustn't leave Miss Florida waiting. She could, after all be the next big thing." I teased feeling my body begin to loosen up under the effects of the alcohol that I'd taken back between my lips.

"Nah, your husband is all I'll need to meet the same numbers I met last year. Anything else will be a bonus cherry at the top of my vanilla sundae. I could have sat pretty for the rest of the year if I'd only signed him on six months ago! You should hear the chatter, Bella. It's insane. His name is buzzing off the lips of everyone in this industry. I have scripts pouring in for him!"

I rolled my eyes and shifted my weight anxiously in my seat, wishing he would just drop the subject.

"Super."

"I mean it. He's going to be huge!"

"Super-Duper!?" I snickered in response with a flippant shrug from my shoulders. I was no longer in the mood to talk about Edward's big Hollywood take over. I'd already read all about it in the latest US Magazine when I'd run to the grocery store this morning with the twins. My husband would have flipped if he knew I'd even opened such trash, but I had to.

I couldn't help it.

When you see the love of your life's name plastered on the cover of a glossy magazine cover in the check-out line… well, you try to not snatch it up to scan the inside pages. It's impossible to ignore. You have to know, so I did what anyone would do. I read the damn thing, and then regretted it immediately afterwards.

I felt the engine begin to roar to life from underneath us and quickly sat my body up to fasten the seat belt across my lap.

"You should have been on set when he shot that last scene with Maggie. Wait until you see it, Bella. It was almost as if… I mean let's just say it was dead silent when Val yelled 'cut'... eyes were wide, and jaws were dropped."

My own eyes were now jetting all over the place, wishing desperately that I'd spot some kind of escape from this torturous conversation. I was trapped though. There was no way out. The best thing to do was keep a straight face and act as if I were absolutely bored with the entire conversation.

Apparently, I'd failed at not reacting.

"Oh, Bella, don't worry. He kept his sock puppet on his cock the entire time. Even though Maggie complained that the material was rubbing her raw between the legs." He'd mumbled the last part, but had also made sure to still say every word just loud enough for me to both hear and process for later review.

"Jesus Christ, seriously? Do I need to spell this out for you? I don't care about the damn scene!" I finally let out, unable to bite my tongue any longer.

"James, _enough_." Edward sternly warned from where he'd taken his seat across from the twins just a few feet away from us. He shot me an apologetic look, but I wasn't buying any of it.

It was obvious that there was a part of him that felt guilty. It was written all over his face.

This, these looks, they were the exact reason why I'd vowed to not ask any questions.

Why I'd made a promise to myself that I would just try my best to put it all behind us, at least until the opening night of the godforsaken film.

"What? It's true those things are not fun to wear. Try to tell me I'm wrong, Cullen!" There was an obvious smug smirk still smeared across James' face. He was doing his best to act absolutely innocent over his carefully calculated, unfiltered words, but none of it had fooled me.

"We've talked about this. Bella is waiting for the premier."

"Ah, yes. I forgot, you're _Team Spoiler Free_. Well, good for you then. Speaking of the premier though, we have you all set for the press tour, Edward. You'll leave with Maggie on Wednesday, December 1st, and you'll be gone for a little over a week, but back just in time for the big red carpet event.

"December? I thought the film wasn't opening until next year." I questioned, surprised by how quickly they were going to be able to push this out into theaters.

They'd only just wrapped last week.

"The studio wants to roll it out in time for the holidays and they have the people they need to get it done. Val believes the final cut will be good enough to go against everything else that's already scheduled to be released during that time, but doing the press tour is what will make or break the release."

"Wow… that's-"

"Extremely exciting and impressive? Yes, I'd have to agree with you, Bella." James spoke up with a returned grin on his face after cutting me off. I couldn't help but notice how he'd wiped that very grin clean off his face before turning his body to look back towards Edward. "Your first role and you're already doing Holiday releases. I told you this would be huge, Cullen!"

"It's no blockbuster production, James."

"No, it's not, Edward. But the acting, and re-writes certainly turned out to be blockbuster worthy. Oscar talk is buzzing."

I took in a shallow breath and looked over at my newly crowned movie star husband. He offered me another smile, but it was painfully forced. He knew this wasn't something I wanted to talk about on the way to our vacation. This vacation was supposed to be a get-a-way from all of the movie, studio, and Hollywood talk. I should have known better than to believe James would mind his words and entirely avoid the subject during our flight across the country. Lately, he seemed to get a kick out of seeing me squirm, and it was starting to become more and more apparent. Not to mention utterly annoying.

"Talk about something else, or don't talk at all. Do _not_ make me remind you again." Edward snapped, his forcefully rushed words caused James to chuckle nervously and my own body to sit up straighter in my chair, even Bree looked surprised by her father's tone.

"Fine, how about we talk about your gala, Bella. You seem to have made quite the impression on our young, Garrett. You should hear the way he goes on and on about you. I think he may have found his own special muse."

I rolled my eyes and casually turned my body to focus my attention out the window as the plane began to taxi out towards the runway. "Garrett is a phenomenal artist, with or without my help. There's something raw about his work. I don't know, it's just different, all on its own. I really think our show will open all kinds of doors for him. He definitely deserves a break." I softly and honestly replied. I stole a glance at Edward's reflection in the window pane before me and frowned. His face was straight, but he was obviously still tuned into our conversation and he seemed slightly bothered by the praise I'd given in regards to my newest friend.

"Well, it's a shame your husband has stolen him from you by giving him a nine to five gig. I know Garrett was really enjoying those one on one drawing sessions the two of you have been sharing."

"It's okay. I work better alone anyways, and Garrett needs to make money, so he can get a place of his own. It was a blessing that Edward was able to offer him a job."

"Very true. Wait until you see his latest piece, though. I stopped by to see it earlier today. It's an oil painting and it's magnificent. The beauty he's able to create with a few strokes from a paintbrush, it's stunningly realistic… and well, if I had to choose one word; tantalizing."

"I can't wait. He doesn't let me see his stuff, though." My words all kind of mumbled together because this was a topic that bothered me. A few days ago, I'd impulsively shown Garrett some of the sketches I had completed and felt good about. He spent a good amount of time going over each and every one of them with me. Giving me my own praise, but also offering me suggestions with some of my detail and ways to smear the shading to help give them more depth and balance. He'd really helped me perfect what I'd set out to capture, but then at the end of it, when I'd expected him to finally share something of his with me… He didn't.

As frustrating as that was; I didn't give him too much of a hard time about it. There was something about the look on his face that told me not to push the matter. It was rare for Garrett to seem shut off, or distant, but during that moment he had certainly pulled a veil down between the two of us.

Aidan let out a sudden loud yelp when the plane began to move forward at an amped speed for takeoff. His cry had quickly shaken me from reliving the awkward moment I'd shared with my drawing buddy, at the top of his hill that overlooked the ocean.

I closed my eyes after taking in a deep breath to calm my own nerves while I listened to Edward's soft voice. He was trying his best to distract our little ones during the planes take off into the night sky.

The second darkness surrounded me from behind my closed eye, Garrett's smirking expression appeared. It was hard to not smile to myself. For whatever reason over the last week, he'd somehow found a way to just be Garrett, my art buddy, without making me feel anxious or uncomfortable with random come-on's or flirtatious behavior.

I couldn't help but wonder how much of his new filter was the direct effect that he now worked for my husband and would be seeing him on a daily basis.

But then I got the real answer, without even posing the question out loud.

"It seems Garrett and Maggie have established a nice little… something. Girl is smitten. Good job hooking those two up, Bella."

"I didn't hook anyone up." I snickered, hoping the surprised expression on my face hadn't given me away.

Garrett and I had been talking, texting and hanging out quite a bit, but he hadn't mentioned anything to me about seeing Maggie. Not even once.

"Well, she's going to ask him to move in with her, so in reality, you don't need to worry about him finding a place of his own when Alice's husband comes back to town. Our young artist will be able to save some cash and enjoy the life that comes with dating a movie star, and he has you to thank for the opportunity."

"Moving in with her?" I was shocked.

"Yup. I mean, it's supposed to be hush-hush, so don't run and spoil Maggie's surprise. She asked me what I thought about the idea, since it's all happening so fast between them. This is her first non-Hollywood relationship, you know. It's bound to create a fresh wave of gossip as soon as the first pictures of them out together hit the internet. That woman really knows how to play the game. She's gunning to land a part in Chris Tanner's new film adaptation of Jane Eyre and she knows getting some extra buzz attached to her name will help get her noticed."

I forced a laugh and carefully raised my glass to my lips to take another long sip from my drink. I'd learned long ago that if you didn't have anything nice to say it was better to not say anything at all… unless you were surrounded by trusted best friends. The thought of Garrett actually becoming Maggie's little boy toy while she dragged him all over L.A. to get her picture snapped by the paparazzi; it was leaving an unpleasant taste in my mouth.

She would only hurt him, even if he did keep somewhat of a guard up. Girls like Maggie were meant to be ogled at, and lusted over, not dated. It was her calling card to chew men up until they lost their flavor and then she'd spit them out as if they were nothing more than a bland piece of tasteless bubble gum.

Most of the men from Maggie's past always bounced back rather quickly because they had careers of their own, and a line of women ready to take her place. Garrett was different though. He didn't know how these things worked. He didn't know what he would be forced to endure and then walk away from when something… or _someone_ 'better' came along that could give Maggie even more of a push into the spot light.

"Poor Garrett," I mumbled out loud without even meaning to.

"Poor Garrett, nothing! That girl might turn his life upside down, but this relationship is an agent's wet dream. Am I right, Edward?"

"Garrett will be fine. If I recall, he made it clear at Alice's party a few weeks ago that he's not the type to get overly involved with any female, regardless of their name or place in Hollywood." My husband chimed in, avoiding my eyes.

I shrugged and leaned over to press my forehead against the window so I could look down at the tiny cars that were moving below us like small little micro ants. It didn't take long for me to let my mind wonder.

In a way this was a good thing for me.

If Maggie was with Garrett, then I'd be able to rest easier while she and Edward were off promoting the film together in a few months.

Perhaps this really was a blessing.

I nodded my head to myself and took in another deep breath as I allowed my body to once again relax itself into my soft leather seat. This was a much more pleasant realization. I wasn't Garrett's mom. He didn't need me to look out for him or warn him of any potential opportunities where he might be chewed up and spit out by one of Hollywood's most notorious serial daters.

Nope.

Not my problem.

If he wanted to make the choice to hook up with Maggie Lauren, then so be it. I'm sure if anything; at the end of it all, he'll be left with a fairly epic piece of art created by his own hand during the height of their twisted Hollywood Romance of a storm.

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><p><strong>AN: I can't wait to hear all of your creative ways to "take-out" James. He's a snake, and a pro at pot stirring. *smirk***

**Thoughts? How do we feel about Garrett and Maggie... and Bella's reaction to the news that something serious might be going on between the two of them?**

**Next chapter will be a bit of Disney with the kiddo's, and we'll also be seeing Jake and Jasper again in Orlando.**

**~******Please Review!******~**

**As thanks for your thoughts I'll reply with a short outtake from Edward's POV during this chapter.**


	10. Fairy Tales & A Surprise Villain

_Disclaimer: Twilight belongs to SM. No copyright infringement is intended with the posting of this story._

**A/N:** If you're reading this, I want you to know you've helped make me smile today. I've been terrible about updates. Who knew going back to work fulltime, and raising a toddler during the rest of the hours of the day would be so hard?! LoL! I think I've finally got it all worked out (again) so that I can find time for my writing. If you haven't given up on this story... well that truly means the world to me. Just know I have every intention to see it all the way to, 'The End'.

BIG hugs and a giant thank you to my beta, myonlyheroin. You rock honey!

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><p><strong>Fairy Tales &amp; A Surprise Villain<strong>

**Chapter 10**

**~*~Bella~*~**

Since arriving at our hotel, far, far away from James, our trip had taken a much appreciated turn for the better. The words 'movie', 'film', 'press-tour', and 'premier', hadn't been mentioned once after we landed in Orlando and said goodbye to Edward's business partner, which had subsequently brightened my mood considerably.

Saturday morning had arrived and Bree was a manic ball of unbridled energy. Once the giant archway was in view, signaling we'd arrived at the Magic Kingdom, my step-daughter quickly transitioned into a silent gleeful trance. Throughout the entire boat ride across the lake, she stood by my side squeezing my hand tightly in hers while rocking forwards and backwards rhythmically on her feet. Her eyes were wide, and her mouth was opened in absolute awe over the sight of the castle in the far off distance.

We'd allowed both her and Maddie to pick out one of their favorite princess costumes to wear during our special day. Madison was Ariel, complete with her tangled up bright red wig, and after much deliberation, Bree had ultimately decided to be Belle from Beauty and the Beast in celebration of the park opening Beasts castle in Fantasy Land. Aidan had on his Jake and the Neverland Pirates bandanna, and matching vest, but I knew better than to believe any of it would actually stay on his body for longer than thirty minutes today, especially under this Florida late summer heat. Edward was wearing his "I'm _her_ Beast" t-shirt, and I of course had donned my own, "I'm _his_ Beauty" shirt to match.

We literally looked like a post card you'd get from an impulse-buy section in the check-out line at a drug store here in this tourist trap of a town.

Cheesy as hell, but I was loving everything about it.

"First, we meet my Cinderella!" Bree yelped while dragging her dad by his hand down the busy Main Street at the beginning of the amusement park. I stopped in awe after looking past them towards Cinderella's castle. It really was quite breathtaking, nothing like Disneyland back home. I almost felt like a kid myself until Madison squealed, breaking my trance. After looking down, I found her pointing at a window display to the right of us that was filled with Tinker Bell merchandise.

"Tink! Tink!" her usually soft voice exclaimed while her tiny body began shaking the double stroller she was sharing with her brother. Aidan seemed slightly less enthused. His eyes were instead fixated on the tracks that were passing us down below on the street where I was pushing the stroller beside the raised sidewalk, trying my best to avoid the crowds.

"Tink, Momma?!"

I smiled at my daughter once she glanced up at me to receive some recognition that she was indeed seeing who she thought she was seeing. "Yup! That's Tink! We will go in the shops later, okay baby?"

Thankfully, she nodded her head in agreement and sat back in her stroller without saying another word. I quickened my pace to catch up with Edward and Bree before I lost them in the sea of people that we'd found ourselves submerged in.

Our oldest daughter was in for a surprise. Edward had managed to get us reservations to have breakfast inside Cinderella's castle, complete with a visit from the princess and prince themselves, as well as the ugly step sisters, and evil step-mother. Bree was going to absolutely lose it, and I could hardly wait to see her little Princess fan girl freak out.

Once we were standing outside of the huge castle's doorway, Bree's head shot back to look straight up so she'd be able to take it all in. For a moment I feared she was going to fall backwards right onto her bottom. She cupped her hands above her eyes to block the bright sunlight and then let out a tiny squeal before reaching over to squeeze Edwards hand again.

"This is my dream! Thank him God that I am here!" Bree whispered to no one directly. I giggled and smiled up at her dad who was proudly beaming with love and admiration for his own special little princess.

"How would you feel about having breakfast with Cinderella and the Prince here in the castle, Bree? Just you, me, Momma Bella, and the twins?"

"Right HERE?! Just US?! I think I would feel very happy! That would be the finest thing in all of this magical kingdom, my daddy!" She was hopping up and down now, her arms flailing all over the place as she began to spin around in circles while she sang one of the many songs she knew by heart from Cinderella.

"I think she's excited." I teased after leaning over to kiss Edward on the cheek.

"Are you surprised?" he toyed back after draping his arm over my shoulder to pull me in up against him.

I giggled and shook my head, "Not at all. I am however surprised you were able to arrange all of this at the last minute."

"It's all about who you know, Care Bear. I've got connections all over the world, even with Mr. Mouse himself." He shot me a wink, and then gestured with a nod of his head towards the huge carved out wooden double doors of the castle.

It was time to make more magical family memories for me to sketch out later this evening.

This trip was exactly what we needed.

What_ I_ needed.

It was as if all the problems we'd been facing on the other side of the country had actually disappeared and all that mattered now was being together. Our family was Edward's entire world when we managed to get out of L.A., and I lived for moments like this.

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><p>It had been hectic day at Disney's Hollywood Studios, filled with tantrum after tantrum from Aidan, and a few from his twin sister as well. I was teetering on the edge of losing my mind thanks to Edwards own attitude towards our son's behavior. My husband was apparently experiencing his Man-period, because he'd been in an awful mood since the moment I'd opened my eyes in bed this morning before we'd even set out to start our day. He insisted nothing was wrong when I tried to question him about it, but I knew better. Something was wrong, but he'd promised to not bring up work while we were here, so he was obviously just living up to that.<p>

Yesterday had been so perfect, not one issue, but today had been an entirely different experience and I was now craving for an opportunity to escape it all. Just a few moments of peace and quiet, alone with my sketch book was all I needed, but we had plans to go see Jake's band play this evening, so unfortunately that was out of the question.

Once we made our way back to the hotel, Edward quickly disappeared into the bedroom. I could hear him furiously typing away on his laptop. I knew better than to enter and disturb him. We hadn't spoken a single word to each other in over an hour, so there was no telling what his mood would be like once we left the kids behind with Leah for the evening. Hopefully whatever it was that was bothering him, he'd get it all out and press the damn send button so he could focus on trying to relax so that we could enjoy our last evening together here in Florida.

I had to get everyone fed and bathed before Jake's fiancé arrived for her babysitting shift. Secretly, I might have been looking forward to having an excuse to be away from my grumpy husband while I'd gotten everyone situated for their evening with their pregnant Auntie. Unfortunately, Bree was already in a pouting, 'don't look at me', mood since she knew we would be returning home tomorrow afternoon. The day wouldn't be complete though without a tantrum from all three of our less than angelic trio.

"Momma, up!" Maddie's tiny voice suddenly demanded at my side. I looked down and smiled after applying one more coat of red lipstick to my lips and then pulled her up into my arms. She grinned and took my face between her hands for a closer examination. "Pretty." She whispered before planting a giant kiss on my mouth. I couldn't help but laugh when she pulled away. Her own naturally pink lips were now a bright shade of red as she beamed, seemingly proud of herself over her plotted action.

"Thank you, baby!" I squeezed her once more in my arms and then set her down to playfully smack her bottom to send her out of the bathroom. I shouted for her to go find her siblings, just as Edward peeked his head through the bathroom doorway.

"She's right, you know. You look stunning, Care Bear."

"Thanks. You look nice, too." I softly replied, avoiding his eyes in the mirror. He slowly closed the gap between us to take me firmly into his arms and planted four gentle kisses down my neck, eliciting goosebumps across the exposed skin of my arms.

His mood had obviously taken a turn for the better.

"I'm sorry about today. I shouldn't have lost my temper with you. It's just… it's hard Bella, dealing with terrible twos, times two."

"Yup, I know. I was there, and it is hard. Thank you for apologizing though." I softly replied, wishing we could go back and start the day all over again.

"I'll make it up to you, I promise." His words were barely out of his mouth when his phone started chirping in his pocket.

"That's supposed to stay locked in the safe and not leave the bedroom. You promised me that too." His apology hadn't completely won me over.

"I know, I'm sorry. It's Aro, apparently he couldn't just reply to the email I sent him. Let me take this one call."

"_Yup._" I already knew if it was Aro, it would be about something that would cause Edward to be re-attached to the world for the evening. My husband frowned over my response, but still brought the phone to his ear anyways just before releasing me from his arms to leave the room.

It was obvious Edward was looking for his own time–out, which he got through his work, thus the real reason why he'd removed his phone from the hotel room safe.

"Leah just got here by the way." He called out from over his shoulder after greeting Aro on his electronic device.

"Thanks." I mumbled to myself, and then took in a deep breath before slowly exhaling my frustrations.

When I made my way out into the living room area of our suite, Bree was talking loudly, telling Leah all about her visit to the Magic Kingdom and how she got to see all of her favorite princesses who happened to also be visiting Orlando, (you know, from their usual home at Disney Land), coincidently during the same time she was here in Florida.

You had to smile at her logic. It was pretty cute to watch the character actors react to Bree's questioning when she would ask how long they were here visiting. She of course warned them all that they better be back in California at the end of the month when we would make our usual once a month trip to their 'real home.'

"Hi, Leah! Thanks again so so much for doing this." I forced a smile, but could immediately tell that she wasn't buying my act.

"No problem. I was just tagging along anyways. I'm too far along now to enjoy myself at a club. Is everything okay?"

I smiled again and nodded my head, absolutely understanding what she meant about tagging along, "I remember those days well. You still look tiny, though. Perfect little bump! Everything is fine, its' just been an exhausting two days. How are you feeling?"

"As good as can be expected, considering the fact that my fiancé will be leaving me in a few weeks to move across the country."

I flinched at her response and took in a deep breath, "About that,"

"It's okay, Bella. I know you had nothing to do with him making the decision. I'm grateful you've offered him a place to stay. At least I know you'll be close by to make sure he stays out of trouble. If all goes as planned, I'll probably join him out there as soon as I'm too big to continue working at the hospital." Leah shared a bit apprehensively.

"You're welcome to come out anytime, you know that. I'll make sure he stays out of trouble! You have my word."

This time it was Jakes fiancé who forced a smile and nodded her head. She was avoiding my eyes, so I knew she wasn't being one hundred percent straight with me about her truer feelings. "Thanks, Bella. Well, you guys have a good time. Text me a video, if you can." she softly requested after Edward came into the room with an accomplished look on his face.

"I'm happy to report that the twins are passed out. Bree should be asleep within twenty minutes after you put a movie on for her. Don't worry about moving her to the bed, I'll do it when we get back."

I smiled at Edwards instructions and stood back up to take my place by the door, "Thanks again, Leah."

"Of course! Come on Bree, let's make some popcorn for our movie!"

"Yes! Let us pop the corn!" Bree was attached to Leah's hip almost instantly, "And then we can discuss Cinderella's castle!"

Edward and I both laughed in unison as he took my hand and guided me out the door.

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><p>When we got to the club, there was a line of people running all the way down the building out towards the back parking lot. I sighed and glanced up at Edward. "Let me text Jake, hopefully we can get in without having to wait in this madness." The sky looked like it was about to release some flood like rain any minute, so standing outside when it happened was not something I wanted to experience.<p>

"What, afraid of a little rain?"

"I'm afraid of looking like The Joker if my makeup starts to run down my face." I warned, and then gave him a playful jab with my closed fist.

Edward laughed and rolled his eyes. "You would still be the hottest female Joker here, Care Bear."

I could feel my cheeks flush over his words and shook my head, bashfully disagreeing with him.

"You say that now, but that's because it's been years since you've seen me with mascara running down my face." I teased, just as my phone chimed from my hand, signaling Jake's reply. I glanced down and took Edward by his arm to lead him towards the front of the line while the people we passed by shot us dirty looks.

"You and your V.I.P connections."

"Hey! It's nice to get to be the person with the connections for once." I toyed back, creating a wide smirk on his face.

"I suppose that's true."

I walked us right up to the ape looking guy holding a clipboard at the front of the line, and then offered my fakest smile. "Bella and Edward Cullen. We're on the guest list." I informed the straight faced man. He snickered and ran his finger down the list of names that was taped onto his clipboard. I watched his isolated index finger stop abruptly and shot Edward a wink as the man highlighted our names. He gestured for us to give him our arms so he could fasten a bright pink plastic band around our wrists and I offered a soft smile towards the people who were still waiting at the front of the line. Our entire exchange with the doorman was done without him uttering a single word to us, which was pretty typical no matter what side of the country, or which state you were in.

I felt a wave of excitement wash over me as I slowly allowed myself to realize how much I actually missed this. Going to shows, seeing my friends play live on stage… being a special someone because of who_ I_ knew, and not because of who _Edward_ knew.

It was nice to be back in my own element.

"Alright Queen B, where to next?"

I looked at my husband and shrugged. Jake had only told me our names were on the list and nothing else. My eyes scanned the dimly lit room and instantly landed on Paul. He was leaning against the bar, apparently flirting with the cute little brunette who was serving drinks. I nodded my head in his direction so that Edward would follow my gaze, and then pulled him by his hand to make our way across the room.

I tapped Paul on the shoulder and waited for him to turn around.

"Beller!" My feet were instantly off the ground as soon as he'd turned around to realize it was me. I laughed and hugged him back, and then softly requested that he put me down before the room got an R rated view that Edward wouldn't appreciate having to share.

"Oh, sorry! Not used to seeing you in short little dresses anymore _Momma_ Bella! You look great!" He paused to give me the once over, and I rolled my eyes in response, and then flipped my hair back behind my shoulder playfully. "Hey Edward, how's it going? Nice to be out away from the monster midgets I bet!"

Edward smirked at my old friend and nodded his head, "It is nice to have some adult time, that's for sure. Where's everyone else?"

"In the back getting stuff off of the bus, we go on in an hour. Does Jake know you're here?"

"Yup, he knows. So, are you guys all ready for the big move out west?" I questioned with a smirk after I'd poked him at the center of his solid chest.

"Yeah, we've got the wagons all lined up for our cross-country quest." He teased. "I'm getting a place with Sam, so he's taking care of everything pretty much."

"Sounds like Sam, always the alpha!" Edward replied with a laugh, and then glanced behind Paul to order himself a drink, "Bella, what would you like?"

"Whisky Sour, please." My husband's smile instantly doubled. He knew that was one of my signature, 'Lets Have Fun Tonight and Forget About Real Life' drinks. I couldn't help but giggle after his opened palm slid past my hip so he'd be able to cup my ass and give it two firm pulses.

"Uh-oh, looks like they're letting everyone in. I'm going to head on back, you guys can come with?"

I glanced up at Edward after he'd handed me my drink but he only offered me a shrug from his shoulders, leaving the decision up to me. "Nah, we'll stay here and be good little fans. We can meet up after your set. Tell Jake to text me." I offered up before taking a sip from my cheap plastic cup. I could feel my cheeks flush within seconds of the warm tart liquid passing down my throat and into my belly.

"Good drink?" my husband questioned with a sly grin.

"Delicious, but you need to stop giving me the, 'I want to rip your clothes from your body' looks. We have hours ahead of us, Stalker." I playfully toyed, and then leaned over to plant a kiss on his cheek, just as I felt some vibrations coming from my purse.

"Sorry, I'll try to behave."

I shot him a wink and pulled my phone from my bag. I was expecting to find a text from Jake, but was surprised to see a message from Garrett instead. I hadn't heard from him since the day we'd left, so it was kind of shocking to see a text from him.

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><p><em>Messages<strong> -Garrett- <strong>Contact_

_**My paint brush is twitching for your return. I need an afternoon with you as soon as you're back in town. Lots to show and tell... Hope you're having fun in Florida. **8:47 PM_

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><p>"Is it Jake?" Edward questioned as he glanced down towards the phone in my hand.<p>

My mind panicked for some reason.

_Don't be stupid, just tell him the truth._

"No, um, it's Garrett. He wants to get together when I get back in town." I admitted, trying my best to sound as casual as possible. I'd recently become well aware of Edward's new apprehension when it came to my artistic buddy. He'd unfortunately made it totally obvious when he offered him a job that would prevent us from spending too much time together once we did get back home. I hadn't wanted to believe that to be the case, but the more I'd let myself consider the possibility, the more I'd realized it to be true.

"Yeah? Well, he's going to have a pretty full plate once I'm back. I hope he realizes what he committed to when he accepted my job offer."

_And there it was._

"Yeah, I'm sure he won't let you down, but it will be an adjustment for him. Enough work talk though. We're here to enjoy our last night away from all of that." I reminded my husband and prayed he would allow for a change of subject. I didn't dare reply to the text right then. It could wait. The last thing I wanted was Garrett thinking he was a priority while I was away with my family.

I allowed Edward to take me by the hand and guide me across the room that was now filling with people and a taste of chaos. It really was nice to be back in this environment. Although, I did miss Alice. People watching at shows was our thing, so I couldn't help but feel slightly out of place not having her here by my side.

After hearing a familiar 'take charge' voice I stopped dead in my tracks and turned my head towards the darker side of the large opened room.

Two people stood in the doorway and their shouting had even caught the attention of several other patrons who had positioned themselves a few feet away at the side bar.

I nearly tripped over my own feet when my stare met a surprised, and guilty looking Jasper.

Guilty because he was pressing some skanky looking piece of trailer trash with tattoos all over her exposed skin, and there was lots of exposed skin, up against the door frame. Her frizzy bleached blonde hair at the top of her head was teased out in almost every direction, and her eye liner looked as though it had been applied days ago.

It was obvious they'd been having some kind of an argument, so I wasn't sure what to say… or think. What I did know was that the entire scene wasn't right, and it was the look on the face of my best friend's husband that gave it all away.

"Who the hell is that?!" I impulsively yelped, to no one in particular, and instantly began trucking my way across the room with my fists at my side.

Edward called after me, but I didn't slow down. My eyes were set and my mind was focused on one thing only.

I wanted answers and I wanted them now.

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><p><strong>AN: Is Jasper up to no good? Say it ain't so! **Answers are coming, and the next chapter is 50% complete. ****

****Thank you so so much for reading!****

**~Reviews help motivate me to stay up and write after my own itty bitty princess goes to bed.~**

** ;)**


	11. Reflections Of Disappointment

**Disclaimer: Twilights and it's original characters belong to SM. ****Stalker, CareBear, Princess Bree, and the twins belong to me.**

**A/N: Back again! A huge thanks to my beta _myonlyheroin_! Any mistakes found are due to my own -after beta tweaking- *wink***

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><p><strong>Reflections of Disappointment<strong>

**Chapter 11**

**~Bella~ **

As soon as Jasper saw me making my way towards them, he took a swift step back, away from the apparent female groupie who he'd been pushing up against the wall only a few brief seconds ago. He was running his fingers brashly through his hair when I stepped up to give him two firm shoves with my extended arms.

"Bella, hold on. Take a minute to calm down and maybe not jump to conclusions?" Edward's panicked voice insisted from behind me. He grabbed onto my left elbow to try and prevent me from going at Jasper again, but I instantly removed myself from his grasp. I glanced to the right of us and noticed the blonde bitch who had started all of this giving me a smirk that I could have easily slapped off her face.

"I'm not jumping to anything! I know bullshit when I see it, because I used to see plenty of it in settings just like this! Now let go of me so I can kick his cheating ass!" I forcibly yanked my arm free from my husband's grasp, and without saying a word to the female who had instantly ruined my evening, I took Jasper's arm and pulled him around the corner where we could talk more privately.

"Um, excuse me, I don't know who you think you are, but we were talking!" The skank dared to point out from behind me. I let out a sarcastic laugh and shot her a look from over my shoulder that quickly shut her up and also caused her to leave the general area.

"What the hell, Jasper?!"

"Bella, it's not what it looks like. Calm down, okay?"

"The next man who tells me to calm down is going to get my right knee projected into his goddamn balls! Explain yourself right now! Who the hell was that, and why did it look like you were in the middle of some twisted passionate fight that was moments away from ending with you grinding yourself between her legs while she molested your face?"

I was shocked when he dared to laugh over my legitimate accusation.

"Listen, there's a lot you don't know, but I also was _not_ about to let that woman molest my face."

Now it was my turn to laugh, "Really? What don't I know, Jasper? Is it suddenly okay to be teetering on the edge of hooking up with some fucking groupie whore, when your wife, my best friend, is on the other side of the country anticipating your return and missing you like crazy every single day of her life?!"

I noticed Edward standing off to the side a few feet away from us now and found his sudden silence rather peculiar.

Had he known about this all along?

"Bella, please… Just let me explain!" The drop in Jasper's tone had instantly caused me to take in a deep breath and bite my tongue. "First off, you _are_ over-reacting."

"What I saw was not harmless, innocent, chit chat, Jasper."

"Her name is Josie and she would sell our merch when we played sometimes. Paul met her and started bringing her around. Alice knows her. The last time she came out to visit, we all went out to eat together,"

"Oh, well then, since Alice knows her that makes it absolutely okay that you've obviously been fooling around with _her_ when she _HASN'T _been around to witness it!"

"We were just talking!"

"I'm not stupid, Jasper! I know a heated lovers spat when I see one."

"Look, just… Please don't say anything to Alice. She knows… I mean she knows something happened. I ended it, though. I broke it off, Josie's just having a hard time accepting it and moving on. She wasn't supposed to be out here for this trip, but she showed up anyways. I was making sure she didn't stay and was escorting her back out to the parking lot when you saw us."

"So she's stalking you now? And what the hell do you mean Alice knows?! Edward Cullen, did _you_ know about this?! " I questioned my husband after turning myself around to glare at him. He instantly threw his hands up and shook his head defensively.

"I knew something was up, but I didn't know the details. I swear!" Edward looked slightly panicked, but I l believed him.

"Alice knew? She knew, but she hasn't confided in me? Shit, shit, shit! This is why she's using again!"

"She's-she's using again?" Jasper's face turned a shade of white, and for a moment I actually felt bad for him.

I avoided his eyes and began re-running all of my most recent moments that had been shared with my best friend. I'd known for some time that something was wrong. I'd known there was something bothering her, but I'd never even considered for a moment that it could have been anything to do with Jasper not being faithful.

"How- how could you do this to her?"

"I never meant for it to happen. It only happened once… but there were weeks of buildup. She'd made it obvious that she was into me, but I thought I could handle it."

"Stop! I can't believe what I'm hearing. You and Alice… you are supposed to be…_ solid_." As strange as it sounded, I couldn't help but wonder if this was what it would feel like to hear your father had stepped out on your mother. I felt like I was the one who had been betrayed, and I wasn't even the one who had been cheated on.

"We _are_ solid! We're good! She forgave me. I came clean the very next day, and we fired Josie. She just keeps showing back up."

"And that's why you're all running off to California now? Because of that stupid groupie whore who scored a one night stand? That's why Jake is leaving his pregnant fiancé? Wow, this is seriously surreal."

"I need to be with my wife."

"Damn straight you do!" I barked back before giving him another hard shove backwards.

"Bella! What's up?" It was Jake. Apparently word had gotten back stage that I was on the verge of castrating their lead singer.

"You knew he cheated on Alice and you didn't tell me!" I instantly accused after redirecting my attention onto my ex. The same man who had basically done the exact same thing to me years ago when he was out on the road. "So, is this some kind of twisted band code where it's okay to screw around on your significant other if they're beyond a certain mile radius?"

Jake was speechless, and Jasper was actually starting to look pissed.

"It was _one_ time! _One_ time in the _eight_ damn years Alice and I have been together, Bella!"

"It doesn't matter how many times. Alice would never ever do that to you! She might have forgiven you in the blink of an eye, but I'm certainly not that understanding!"

Jasper narrowed his own eyes and crossed his arms in front of his chest, "You, of all people, Bella, have no right to judge me."

I stood there feeling as though he'd just punched me in the gut.

"Be honest with yourself. This isn't really about me messing up. This is more about Alice not coming to you after it happened. That's what you're really angry about, because deep down you know I love Alice, and you know I feel like absolute shit for letting things get out of control."

I remained absolutely frozen, staring at him with my fists held firmly at my sides. He was partially right. I was hurt that she hadn't come to me. Especially when I'd asked her what was wrong a few weeks ago, and I'd given her the opportunity to share everything with me.

"Shit happens, Bella. Bad choices are made in the spur of the moment when we let our guards down. If anyone can understand that, I know it's you." My best friend's husband softly shared after taking a step closer to me so he could grasp my elbow in his opened palm to keep me from walking away.

I snatched my arm away from him and took a step back, "Don't you dare try to compare my mistakes with yours. Alice loves you. She's never turned her back on you, or given you a reason to stray."

Jacob cleared his throat nervously and released a shallow cough, causing both Jasper and I to redirect our attention. "Okay, look, we have to go on stage in fifteen minutes. Can we please just put this on hold and continue this conversation after the set?"

I glared at my ex.

"I'm done talking to him. I'm sorry, but I can't stay, Jake. I need to go process this and try to make sense of how any of it's even possible."

"Bella, no! Please- please don't go. You haven't seen us play in almost a year!" Jake begged; the look on his face was almost crippling. I knew that expression, I'd seen it oh-so-many times when I'd disappointed him in the past over some random, truthfully insignificant thing.

"No. I need to go. I'm sorry, Jake." He looked genuinely upset over my decision, but I had no other choice. There was no way I'd be able to have a good time tonight. Not with Jasper being the one leading the band on stage. I couldn't just let it all go and act like he hadn't betrayed the one person who had always been there for me.

"I'll text you when we get done. We really should talk more, Bells." Jake softly insisted as he followed closely behind me to join Edward in the corner of the room.

"You okay?"

"No. I'm not okay. We need to leave." I told him, still feeling as though this was all some twisted nightmare I'd wake up from within the next few minutes.

"Bella, please?"

"What, Black?! What else is there to really say? Your best friend is a cheating asshole, just like you were! End of story."

He flinched over the sound of my tone and the words I'd thrown at him, but I offered no apology.

"Please… just… let me come to your hotel after our set. I might be able to put things into… I might… I think I can… just hear me out. If Jasper won't tell you, then I will."

I stood there and continued to glare at him while I considered his request and then I let out a frustrated huff. "Okay. I'll tell Leah to wait for you there."

He released a brash exhale and nodded his head manically. "Thank you. Please don't call Alice yet. Wait to hear me out first."

I frowned and found my teeth anxiously biting at my bottom lip before nodding my head in agreement. I would give him ten minutes to present his case, and then I'd decide how to react before reaching out to my best friend.

* * *

><p>I spent the entire ride back to the resort replaying all the moments I'd shared with Alice during the last few months. Her behavior really hadn't changed much up until about two months ago. That's when she'd started hanging out with her Hollywood leech like fan girls who I rarely got along with. I'd just associated her disconnected behavior to having far too much free time on her hands while her show had been on hiatus.<p>

It had been much more though, and because of that my heart was now hurting for her.

Apparently, I'd become the world's worst best friend because I hadn't even noticed the signs that something was seriously-seriously wrong. Hollywood and its elite had jaded me into thinking that there was never any real causation behind an action. That everything was just an impulsive reaction to random events, and then you moved on- acting as if everything's sunshine and rainbows because that's the persona you have to maintain in order to keep your head above the water.

"Bella, are you okay?"

Edward's gentle voice had shaken me back to my own reality. I turned my head and forced a half smile. "Yes. I'm fine, just unbelievably disappointed. I never could have imagined that Jasper would do something so stupid."

"I'm sure he hated himself the moment he crossed that line. I know Jasper loves Alice more than anything."

I took in a deep breath and nodded my head, "Yeah, I'm sure he did hate himself, but that still doesn't make it okay. Honestly… I don't want to talk about it. I don't want to talk about anything. All I've wanted to do today is sit in a quiet corner alone with my sketchbook since the twin's first tantrum this afternoon."

My husband forced a smile and reached out his arm to tuck my hair gently behind my ear, "Then let's get you up stairs with your sketch book."

I didn't move from my seat right away. Instead, I began rubbing at my eyes to fight back the tears that were now threatening to make an appearance.

"I'm sure she had her reasons to keep it all from you. She was probably waiting for the right time, and knows you've had a lot going on." He gently insisted just as his hand began massaging at the back of my neck. "Come on, let's go get you changed and reacquainted with your pencils and paper."

I let out a sigh and nodded my head in agreement with him. If there was one thing I'd learned, drawing was most definitely my own penicillin when it came to life disappointments.

* * *

><p>I'd been out on the patio sketching for at least an hour and a half when the sliding glass door slowly opened just a few feet away from me. After closing my sketch book, I gently placed my pencil at the top of it, and then turned my head to meet Jake's worried stare.<p>

I leaned back in my seat and took in a deep breath before slowly exhaling, "How was the show?"

I figured it was best to start with small talk.

"It was good. Really good, actually."

"Oh, I'm glad. It's super fantastic that Jasper was able to still perform without any problems."

Jake let out a loud sigh and slowly made his way over to take a seat beside me on the long lounge chair at the end of the balcony.

"Did you call Alice?"

"No. You asked me not to."

"Thank you for waiting. There are two sides to what happened with Jasper and Alice, Bells. Just like with our own… past… Jesus, the shittiest part about the conversation we're about to have is that it's basically one we've already had before, only it was me in Jasper's shoes, and I fucked up more than once during the time we were together."

"So, he did factually sleep with that skank?!" I yelped as all the anger and rage I'd been feeling earlier this evening came rushing back to me.

"Just the one time, and he told Alice the very next morning! Josie had been working him over for weeks. None of us thought he'd ever crack, but then I woke up and caught her sneaking out of the apartment that morning and well… she saw an opening and she took it. Later, I found out Alice had called the night before to tell him she was going to have to re-schedule her plans to come out for a visit. It started a huge fight, and Josie just pounced when she saw he was feeling vulnerable."

"Men don't feel vulnerable, Jake. They feel the need to go out and conquer so they can feel good about themselves."

"Um… well… isn't that the definition of vulnerability, Bells?"

"Jacob, don't you dare…"

"Okay fine, whatever the case, him and Alice has been having problems for a while because of their long distance arrangement. When they're together, things are fine. The second we hit that forty-eight hour mark after they've gone their separate ways for another few weeks… well… the rainbows and sunshine seem to fade fast. I think a lot of it has to do with the new story line Alice's show picked up this season... Her character having a boyfriend… all the tabloid rumors that have started linking them together after hours when they're not working."

"Jasper can't believe any of that trash? Alice would never cheat on him!"

"Did you believe any of it when you found out that Edward and Maggie had been parked out in front of her apartment late at night, after hours?" My ex carefully challenged.

I crossed my arms in front of my chest and narrowed my eyes at him. "No, I didn't." I lied.

"You're a terrible liar, Bella. Always have been, always will be. Its human nature to expect the worst when there's even the slightest possibility that the worst is all there can be."

"Whatever. My husband just shot a sex scene that required a modesty sock. You didn't see me pouncing on the first guy who showed interest in me!"

A perplexed expression quickly took over Jake's face, "Um… I'm sorry… but WHAT?! Someone's shown interest in you?" Jake was smirking, and I'd already felt my face flush the moment the words had left my mouth.

"Oh, shut up! No! I have no time for anyone but my kids when it comes to any type of show-and-tell."

He eyed me suspiciously for a few long seconds, and then looked back down at his feet, "He felt awful, Bella. He called Alice the moment he woke up and broke down. We fired Josie that afternoon, but she literally won't leave him alone. She keeps showing up everywhere, it's insane. The girl is nuts!"

"And now you're all running to California because of this psychopath? Does Alice even know how twisted and out of control this has gotten?"

"No. I mean she doesn't know that she keeps popping up, or that she's refusing to go away. That morning when Jasper confessed everything, he promised her he would move to California. He told her he couldn't be away from her anymore. That it was ruining their marriage. We as a band knew there was no way to change his mind, nor could we really ask him to. So, we took a vote and decided that instead of breaking up we'd all just relocate."

"I can't believe Alice kept all of this from me."

"If it makes you feel any better, I think she probably wanted to wait and see if he really meant all of it… If he would _really_ move out to California, and if it was _really_ only the one time. You know how she gets when things start to stray off course. She puts her blinders on and looks for distractions."

"Yeah… She's always been good at blocking out things that might muddy up her perfect exterior. She's a firm believer that if you ignore the storm long enough, eventually it will just pass overhead and the sun will come out again." I admitted, just above a whisper. "She's really forgiven him?"

"Yeah, from what he's told me, she has. They seemed totally normal when she came out for a short visit last week. Jazz told me their planning on trying for a baby again as soon as he gets out there."

I shook my head in disbelief over everything I'd learned in the last few hours of my vacation. I couldn't wait to get home now. I needed the normalcy of my everyday sights and sounds, because nothing was making sense right now and I felt like I was living in a parallel universe.

"What do I do now? Do I tell her I know? How am I supposed to pretend nothing's changed?"

"I think that's up to you. I will say though, Jasper is hopping you don't say anything. If you do, you'll have to also tell her how you found out, and that Josie was here in Florida. We both know she won't allow herself to easily believe he had nothing to do with that. It's how all you women think. Hell us men, too… worst case scenario logic again. She'll tell you when she's ready. I really believe she's waiting to see how things go once Jasper is home again."

"Yeah… Maybe."

Jake reached over with his right arm and gently squeezed my shoulder with his hand, "I also honestly believe that it was a mistake Jasper will never, ever, make again, Bella."

"He better not, or I swear to God I'll make it to where he won't be able to sit for a month, or even speak for that matter." I instantly barked back, before stretching my legs out in front of me to stand up. "How long ago did all this happen?"

"Right after the twin's birthday party when we got back home to the city. Is it really true that Alice is using again? Is that about the time it started back up?"

I frowned and nodded my head. "Yeah, it was. Dammit, Jasper."

"It's okay. We'll be there in a few weeks and she won't be able to hide that kind of stuff from him. He'll make sure she's not touching that shit."

I hugged my waist with my arms after crossing them down in front of me, and then took in a deep breath and exhaled. "I hope you're right, Jake."

"Can I ask you something? Please don't get mad, or even think I'm insinuating, but Jasper's been worried about something. He was going to talk to you about it tonight but, well obviously that didn't get to happen."

"What is it?"

"He mentioned someone's been staying at their place. A guy Alice met through you? Someone James is working with?"

"Garrett? What about him? We're doing a show together and he was living out of his van down by the beach, so Alice felt bad and offered him a room until he's able to save up for a real place."

Jake ran his hand anxiously through his hair, causing is to spike up chaotically at the top of his head. For a second I smirked over the sight, but then he asked his follow up question.

"Do you think, I mean is it possible that maybe Alice might have hooked up with him? Knowing what you know now, do you think it's a possibility that she would do something like that as pay back?"

"What?!" I couldn't help but laugh, "No! No way. He's not interested in Alice. He's dating Maggie!"

"Jasper had talked himself into believing something had happened between the two of them because she literally asked the guy to move in the day after Jazz had told her about what happened with Josie."

I frowned and shook my head, realizing her behavior at the party that night made absolute sense now. She'd been drowning her sorrows in designer drugs and booze.

"I am ninety-nine point nine percent positive nothing sexual has ever happened between the two of them."

After a few seconds of awkward silence Jake nodded his head and pulled me in for an impulsive hug. He held me tightly against him and let out a loud frustrated sigh. "It's sucked being the one looking in from the outside. It's really put things into a different perspective for me, Bells. I'm so sorry for everything I put you through a few years ago."

I let out a sigh of my own and hugged him back, "Like Jasper said; shit happens. We made it through intact, that's all that matters now. Eventually we both found our own way, and in the process found the people we were meant to be with." I softly insisted after increasing my grasp around his neck to hug him a little tighter. "I'm just glad Jasper realized his mistake before it was too late for them."

"Yeah… _absolutely_." It was hard to not notice the pause he'd taken with his response… or the look in his eyes when he'd pulled away to look down into mine. I took a slow step backwards and returned my arms to their crisscrossed position in front of me, and then forced another nod from my head. "Okay, well, I'll let you get back to work. I'll see you in a few weeks. I'm going to send a few boxes out when we get back to the city so they'll be there waiting for me when I get to town."

"Sounds good, take care Jake. Be good to your fiancé. She needs you, just as much as Alice and Jasper need each other." I reminded him with a pointed expression hoping he'd realize what I was really trying to say.

He smiled and nodded his head agreeing with me. "You have my word." He shot me one last wink from his eye and I watched him go before making my way back to the lounge chair to pick up my sketch book. I hadn't been back at it for longer than ten minutes when Edward was suddenly standing beside me looking down at my latest drawing of Bree hugging _her_ Prince Charming.

"I didn't hear you come out!"

"Yeah, you were in the zone. I didn't mean to startle you." He shared with a hidden smirk, "You okay?"

"As okay as can be expected. Jake promised me it was the one time and that Jazz called Alice immediately. This groupie whore is some kind of legit stalker though. Hopefully she gets over it once Jasper's moved to the other side of the country." I explained after closing my sketch book in my lap.

"I think it says a lot that Jasper was honest and didn't try to hide anything from Alice."

"Yup, I'm sure it's the only reason she didn't shut him out and refuse to give him another chance." I replied agreeing with him, "It still doesn't make it okay."

"Of course not, but he handled the situation responsibly, so I hope in time you'll also be able to get past it and be a good friend to him again."

"We'll see. He's got a long ways to go with me." I admitted with a frustrated sigh.

Edward sat there silently looking out at towards Orlando's night sky and took in a deep breath. The moment he did that, I knew something else was coming, and I also knew who I had to thank for it.

James.

"Spill it, Cullen. What have all the emails and secret phone calls been about today?"

He forced a smile and tilted his head to the side, highlighting his flawless jawline under the moonlight in a way that I couldn't wait to capture on paper at a later time.

"You know me too well."

"Tis both a perk, and a terrible flaw. Sometimes it would be easier to just be oblivious, I think."

He laughed and shook his head understanding what I was saying.

"James' got a script and according to him it would be perfect for me. The director wants me, and apparently only me, so he's willing to give us whatever I want in order to get me to sign on to the project. My name is already making its rounds, being linked to it, and I just got an alert that TMZ's picked it up. I just wanted you to hear it from me before you heard about it from someone else." He carefully explained after taking my hands into his.

"Well, I can't say I expected you to just stop acting after one movie." I admitted with an impulsive huff escaping passed my lips.

"I had a feeling you'd say that."

This was not how I wanted to end our getaway, but at the same time, it seemed perfect given the way the rest of our evening had gone. "What's it about?"

"It's an action suspense film. I'll play Ryan Torrant, a journalist who finds himself going up against powerful politicians that have a lot to hide." He explained, already sounding more than excited about the project.

"Sounds interesting. Who's directing?"

His instant grin told me everything I already needed to know. "Arno Smith?"

Only my husband's most favorite director in all of Hollywood.

"YES!"

His excitement was slightly contagious, but it only lasted a few seconds. It was nice to see him so excited about something. "That's amazing news, baby. I'm so happy for you!" I had to force a lot of that, but deep down I meant at least seventy-five percent of what I'd said in response to his news.

"It's pretty amazing. I still need to meet with him when I get back into town, but if you're okay with the idea, I can't imagine I'll find any other reason to turn it down."

"When will you start shooting?"

"Not until next month. We have to work everything around the press tour, but James said it won't be a problem. I just wanted to talk to you first before agreeing to meet with Mr. Smith." He shared before pulling me up into his lap to wrap his arms around me.

"You have my blessing to meet with him, just don't sign any contracts until you find out all the minor details and we go over the fine print together, okay?"

"You have my word! God, it feels so good to finally tell you. I was so worried you would be pissed about me jumping into another project so soon." He admitted before kissing the back of my shoulder with his lips.

"I'll always be on board, as long as you're honest with me." I gently replied, after turning my head to look him in the eyes. He grinned widely and pulled my face down to bring our lips together, and I stayed there in his arms wishing we could just pause the moment until the sun would come up around us.

Unfortunately, the moment our kiss ended, Edward was lifting me up off of his lap to reposition me in my chair so that he could stand back up, "I need to go call James and tell him to set up the meeting."

I nodded my head, and then forced another smile. "Okay, I'll be in soon. I just want to finish up some shading."

"Don't be too long. I want to celebrate under the sheets, beautiful."

I laughed and shot him a thumbs up before he disappeared back into our suite. Before opening my sketch book back up I glanced at my cell phone that was lying on the table beside me.

I hadn't replied to Garrett's text yet.

Why that realization had crept back into my thoughts was beyond me, but without mulling it over for very long I snatched up my phone and hit the call button under his name.

He answered on the second ring.

"Well, this is a pleasant surprise. Is it wishful thinking to hope this is a drunk dial?" his voice instantly teased.

"Sorry, absolutely sober over here. How are you?"

"I-am-fine. How are you?" he questioned back after clearing his throat. I could hear someone in the background and figured it was Maggie asking him who had called.

"Are you busy? I should have just text. Sorry."

"No, not busy. We just finished eating dinner."

"Tell Maggie I said, hi."

"Not Maggie. Alice. She cooked me a _real_ dinner tonight, no take out. Can you believe it?"

I could hear Alice yelling at him in the background in response to his sarcastic statement, and for a moment I smiled at the sound of her carefree behavior.

"Tell Alice I said hi."

"Bella says hi, now finish the dishes so we can start the movie before it gets to be your bedtime."

"Hi Belllllllla! Miss you! Love you! Hurry home!" Alice shouted in the background. I smiled again and did my best to fight back the tears that were now threatening to expose me and everything I knew.

"What's up _my lady_. You didn't reply to my text earlier."

"Yeah, sorry. I was in a loud noisy club and could barely hear myself think." I lied, and then flipped open my sketch book to start tracing a new outline.

"How was the show? Alice found a video already posted on YouTube and showed me during dinner. We tried to spot you in the crowd, but no such luck."

"It was good,"

Silence.

_Say something or he's going to know something's…_

"What's wrong, Bella?"

_And there's what we needed to avoid. _

"Why does something have to be wrong?" I questioned with a nervous laugh.

"I can just tell there's something on your mind. You never call me, we always just text, and I can tell by your tone that you called for a reason, so spill."

I flicked at the bit of lead that had broken from my pencil where I'd pressed it too firmly against the paper in my sketch book and let out a loud sigh. "There are a lot of things wrong, but I'm only calling about one of them right now. Is Alice still close by?"

"Yeah, give me a second. Allie, I'll be right back, Bella needs me to look up the brand of pencils she'd used with me the other day."

"Nice cover up." I mumbled before bringing my nails to my teeth. I was so nervous to ask him the question that I needed answered, but I had to know. I had to be sure I was right when I'd told Jasper and Jake that Alice would never cheat. Since I couldn't ask Alice without her getting suspicious, I really didn't have any other option but to question the one person who had been living with her for the last few weeks.

"Yup, you know me, Mr. Suave."

I smirked at his reply and spit out the piece of finger nail I'd successfully bitten off, and then pulled my hair up into a high pony tail off of my shoulders.

"Oh, hey! By the way congrats to Edward! I heard he's being courted for a new Smith film!"

"Yup, super-duper exciting." I really didn't want to talk about any of that right now, and I hoped my snappy response would help him realize that fact before he pressed the matter any further.

"Okay… changing the subject then, since that's obviously what you want… what's going on over there in Florida?"

"Thanks, yeah. I'd rather focus on one frustration for the time being. It's all I can honestly mentally handle at the moment." I confessed before tossing my sketch book to the side to stand up and make my way towards the balcony railing for a better view of the city skyline. "As far as you know, I mean, because you've been living there, so I figured if anyone would know it would be you, but…"

"I haven't seen her high, Bella."

"Well, that's great news, but not exactly what I was going to ask, but it does make me really happy to hear." I quickly replied feeling a bit of relief come from his statement. "Has Alice… have there been any guys coming over?"

He laughed and immediately answered, "Nope. Not-a-one, why are you asking? Does her husband think something's going on?"

"I don't know. I mean I guess. It's all a mess, and she hasn't said a word to me about any of it. Please don't tell her I asked, or even said anything to you about her."

"I won't. You'll have to tell me more though when you get back and allow me to steal you away for an afternoon."

I rolled my eyes and let out a soft laugh. "I guess you need reminding that you're going to be very busy working for my husband when I get back in town."

"Oh, I'll always find a way to make time for you."

The second he'd completed his sentence, I could literally almost see his smirking face. His slick response instantly signaled it was time for me to end the call.

"I have to go. I'll text you when we get back in town."

"I'll be waiting. Have a safe flight back."

I hung up and released a frustrated huff before throwing my arms out to the sky, wishing I could just not know what I now knew. It was so-so much easier living in the dark before.

I couldn't help but let out a sarcastic laugh.

Ignorance really was bliss, and at the moment I'd do anything to crawl back into my ignorantly safe shell of a reality.

Unfortunately, it wasn't going to be that easy.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Lots of stuff to digest in this one, so I'm anxious to hear your thoughts. Bella's going to be doing a lot more reflecting in the next chapter, which is almost half way complete. I'm trying my best to do updates every 9-12 days now. Thanks so much for reading!**

***Reviews are the best kind of motivation!***


	12. Home Again

**Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight and its original characters. **

**A/N: Hi! Welcome back, and thanks so much for returning. Big thanks to my girl taylowendy for beta'ing this chapter for me. You rock honey! One quick note before we get started; Some had asked how Garrett already knew about Edward's possible new movie role. When Edward finally told Bella about everything he also mentioned he'd received an alert that a Hollywood gossip site had picked up the story so one could assume thats how Garrett had found out. *wink***

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><p><strong>Home Again<strong>

**Chapter 12**

**~Bella~**

The flight back to L.A. was long and extremely bumpy. Bad weather seemed to be following us all the way to California, which was usually something I'd look forward to, just not when I was flying in the sky in a big metal plane.

The twins slept for the first half of our trip, and then Bree helped keep them busy during the second half by watching downloaded movies Edward had installed onto their shared iPad. I'd tried desperately to keep myself busy sketching, but the turbulent weather had made that insanely difficult.

As soon as we landed I was ready to get off the plane and get us home. My phone buzzed the moment we were in the car. It was a text from Alice inviting us all over tonight for dinner and cookie making. I let out a huff and pressed my body back into the leather seat of Edwards SUV.

"What's up, baby?"

"Alice wants us to come over tonight."

"Eh… what are you going to say? I have to head into the office for a bit, but I can probably be back by eight." Edward shared while keeping his eyes on the road.

"I don't know. I'll wait to reply. I'm sure she'll notice we're home within an hour of us pulling into the driveway. You know I'm not good at hiding stuff… She's going to know right away that something's up."

"Well, you can't avoid her forever."

Thankfully, I caught myself before uttering a blunt, '_no shit, Sherlock,_' in response to my husband's more than obvious statement. Instead I whispered a soft, '_yup_', and continued to stare out the passenger side window.

"Maybe you and the twins_ should_ have headed to New York for a few days, so you'd have had time to get over the initial shock of everything… before seeing her again?"

I shook my head disagreeing with him, "No, I needed to be home so I could use Mrs. Coupe's services and get some good doodle time in. James wants at least four more pieces to be done by the end of the month." I reminded him with a soft huff following my response.

When we pulled into our driveway I was relieved to see Alice's car missing from next door, although Garrett's was noticeably present. I saw Edward glance over in that direction for a few long seconds when we were unloading the kids out of their car seats, but he said nothing so I too remained silent. Once inside, I shuffled the kids into the playroom so I could start unpacking suitcases before Edward had to leave for the rest of the day.

I felt my phone buzz in my back pocket and reached in, expecting it to be a text from Alice, I was surprised to see it was instead from Garrett.

_**Messages- Garrett -Contact**_

_**Welcome home! Warning: Alice is on a mission to show off her new culinary skills with you and your family present tonight. Thought I'd give you a heads up. ;)**_

I rolled my eyes after reading his words and sent him a quick response letting him know she'd already dropped her dinner bomb on me, but that Edward had to work this evening. He replied back before I could even return my phone to my pocket.

_**Messages- Garrett -Contact**_

_**You're going to have to come up with something better than that if you plan on getting out of this. She spent all night looking for the perfect kid friendly recipe that the little hooligans would love.**_

My fingers made their way into my tangled hair and I tugged firmly at my roots. I was already feeling overwhelmed by the possibility of being unable to get out of this so I didn't know what to say. He was right. When Alice made her mind up over something, there was no getting out of it… unless hospitalization or death occurred. After a few long seconds of starring down at my screen, I sent him a short and sweet reply. I thanked him for the information, and then told him I had a lot to do before our little dinner party, and that we'd talk more later. That was my not so subtle hint that he needed to give the texting a break and let me get back to my motherly duties.

Just then Edward came into the room with his own phone resting comfortably in his hand but his eyes were on me. "Is there anything I can help you with before I head out? James is waiting downtown; I shouldn't keep him too long. You know how he gets."

"It sucks you have to go so soon. We just got home." I pouted after stuffing my phone back into my pocket to free up my hands so I could wrap my arms around him and press my ear firmly against his chest.

"I absolutely agree, baby. You know there's no other place I'd rather be than home with you and the kids, but you also know how quickly things can pile up when I go away for a few days. If I get started on it now, it means less late nights during the week." He reminded me before leaning in to plant a soft kiss against my lips.

I let out a sigh and nodded my head. He was right, as per usual. He did _always_ get super busy after a get-a-way, but it was _always_ worth it to have those days away with him.

"I'm pretty sure we're stuck having dinner with Alice, but I'll keep you posted."

"Sounds good, love you, Care Bear. I'm going to go say bye to the kids, and then I've got to take off. I'll have my phone on me."

"Oh, you always do," I mumbled to myself as I watched him leave the room. "You always do."

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><p>An hour later I was busy in the laundry room sorting colors versus whites when I heard the sound of a car door slamming. After standing on my tippy toes to glance out the crescent shaped window that looked out onto the driveway, I saw Alice's car parked directly behind mine.<p>

_No, no, no, no!_ I thought to myself just as I saw Bree zooming by at full speed. Before I could stop her, she was rounding the corner of the hallway to open the front door.

I wasn't sure what I'd expected to happen. I couldn't hide from her forever; all I could do was try and act as normal as possible around her until she decided to really let me in on her seemingly disappointing reality.

"Hello, my Aunt Alice. We're back from Florida. It was a fabulous trip! All of my princesses surprised me and met us there. Did you know this? They were all there!" I heard Bree explaining with her hands raised high above her head after I'd joined them at the door.

Alice let out a soft laugh and bent down to give my step-daughter a short hug; knowing she wasn't one to enjoy physical affection from anyone except her father and I or her brother and sister, my friend kept their embrace nice and short. "Oh I'm so, so very glad you've returned to your kingdom on the ocean! I've missed you terribly fair princess!" Alice insisted with a smirk hiding behind her serious expression. I smiled over their interaction and stepped forward to give my best friend a warm hug of my own.

"Yes, yes, we have returned." Bree did a quick curtsy without looking towards either of us, and then took off back towards the play room without uttering another word. My best friend took a step back and crossed her arms in front of her with a playfully serious expression now spread across her face.

"You haven't returned my texts, lady! Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, sorry. I've just been busy trying to get things re-organized, while also keeping the kids from killing each other," I slightly lied with a forced smile. She eyed me for a few moments, and then nodded her head, thankfully believing my legitimate excuse without challenging it.

"Well, I've hardly heard from you! Did you have a nice time? How was the show? The YouTube video I found was pretty good quality. I think it was one of their best sets yet!"

"Um ya-yeah. It was great. Really, really good!" I stuttered, and then mentally smacked myself in the head.

Alice narrowed her eyes and once again crossed her arms in front of her chest, "But?"

"But nothing. I just think I'm officially starting to feel old because it wasn't how I remembered it... I mean, being in a crowd like that, and getting pushed around while trying to enjoy my drink and night out away from the kids. It was just... Disappointing."

_In more ways than one._

"Aw, well then, we most certainly need a girl's night out so I can show you that you're certainly not getting old, you've just matured honey! Now, about dinner?"

I stood there racking my brain for a proper excuse to decline her invitation, but nothing was coming to me.

"I figured I'd have it ready by five, since you guys have been living on east coast time for the last few days. Will that be okay? I just got back from the store picking up everything I'll need. So you can't say no, Bella. I won't allow it!" Alice insisted before reaching out to pinch my cheek playfully. I watched her scan our surroundings while she waited for my response, and then let out a soft huff from between my lips. It would be totally unlike me to say no. I knew that. But I also knew how fresh in my memory everything still was, _and_ that it would be beyond difficult for me to act normal for a long period of time without her figuring out something wasn't right.

"Edward had to go into to the office to take care of a few things; I'm not sure when he'll be back. I was just going to order Chinese and call it a day. It's been a long and exhausting weekend, Alice."

She shook her head, not accepting my lame attempt to turn down her dinner invitation, and let out a soft laugh, "Nonsense! I bought everything I need to make homemade mac'n'cheese and chicken tenders, the kids favorites! Please let me make you guys dinner, pretty pleassssse!"

"Since when do you cook?" I questioned with a surprised smile taking over my face.

"I needed a new hobby."

_No, what you needed was a distraction. _

She couldn't fool me, not with what I knew.

"Now that Jasper is moving out here, I'm trying to be more domesticated. Being in the kitchen is actually kind of fun! Last night I made a pork roast with fresh vegetables and gravy from scratch! It was delicious, just ask Garrett!"

Realizing there really was no way to get out of this, I waved my hand giving in and let out an exasperated breath before asking her what time we should be there, and if I should bring anything.

"Five 'o'clock, just like I said, honey! Bring your gorgeous selves and I'll have stuff for us to decorate cookies together after we eat dinner."

"Edward might not be able to make it." I reminded her as I followed her back towards the front door.

She'd completed her mission, so it was totally natural that she wouldn't stay any longer. Not when she had to get dinner started. I smirked over the thought of Alice moving about the kitchen with absolute purpose, and then reached around her to open the front door.

"That's okay, I'm sure he's super busy being schmoosed by the one and only, Mr. Smith!"

I rolled my eyes over her statement and gave her a playful shove out the door that caused her to spin around and point her finger in my direction. "Mind your manners lady, you're on your way to becoming Hollywood royalty! You never know when the papz are hiding out trying to catch a scandalous photo!" she teased further, and then shot me a wink from her eye before spinning back around on her heels to disappear down the walkway towards her car. Slowly, I made my way back into the kitchen and grabbed my phone from the counter top to send Edward a quick text.

_**Alice won. Dinner at her place, 5:00 - Can you make it? **_

I was shocked when my phone chimed back with a response almost instantly.

_**Messages- Edward - Contacts**_

_**No, baby. I'm sorry. James is having us Skype with Smith and his people at 6:00, no idea how long that will take. I should be home by 8:30 though - No later than that, I promise! **_

His reply wasn't a total surprise. In fact, the only thing that even remotely surprised me was how early he was actually promising to be home. I sent him a quick response, letting him know I'd bring home some of the cookies Alice had planned for us to decorate together, and then got back to work in the kids rooms after checking in on them in the play room. It was already almost three. I didn't have much time left to prepare my game face, and that fact alone was already stressing me out.

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><p>"Momma Bella, <em>please<em> tell Maddie that she must not wear her ruby red slippers to dinner. Please tell her. Tell her right now!"

Bree was standing in the doorway of the twins room with her hands placed firmly on her hips and a very serious expression on her face. It was hard not to smile over the sight of her 'no-nonsense' stance, but I managed to keep it together… otherwise an epic tantrum would have ensued.

"Why can't she wear her red shoes, Bree?" I questioned, praying her response wouldn't cause me to crack a smile.

"Because I have chosen a green dress for her, and it is _not_ Christmas time. We only wear red and green together at Christmas time." My stepdaughter instantly replied back with a straight face and pointed finger in my direction. "_Are_ we making _Christmas_ cookies at Aunt Alice's? Are we?!"

I stifled a laugh and shook my head, but I could feel my smile creeping across my face the instant her eye brow raised in reaction to my nonverbal response.

"Then, it is simply_ NOT_ allowed! Now tell her! NO RED SHOES!"

And just like that Bree crossed over into our imperfect perfect angel.

"NO, NO, NO! I SAID NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" She was running around the twin's room now, grabbing at anything she came across, and chucking it into the air, or at her sister who was now sitting in the corner of the room with a scared look on her face. I let out a sigh and quickly pulled the twins up into my arms to bring them back out to the living room so I could set them up with a movie until Bree calmed down.

"I sowwy, momma." Maddie whispered, after I'd kissed the top of her head. I frowned and shook my own head.

"Don't be sorry, baby. You did _nothing_ wrong. Sissy is just having a moment. She will be okay." I assured my little girl, my heart breaking for her. I understood Bree, and her behaviors, but her siblings were still learning to not take it personal. Poor Maddie always seemed to get the worst of it and I hated that. I could hear Bree still throwing a fit across the house, but I knew there was nothing in that room that could hurt her; so I just left her alone, and sent Edward a quick text that _he_ could clean up her mess when he got home from work tonight.

I finished getting Aidan dressed, and then gathered the rest of the things we would need to go spend a few hours at Alice's. Slowly I made my way towards the room that I was sure would be completely demolished by now. After carefully peering in I found Bree sitting in the middle of her destruction with her head in her lap, and her hands covering her ears while she hummed to herself.

_Well at least she's self soothing… that's a good sign._

"Bree, honey, if you're ready we can go to Aunt Alice's now."

She didn't look up, she remained frozen in her curled up position and began humming even louder.

"Bree, I'm going to count to ten, and then you need to stand up and put your shoes on. Ready? One-two-three-four-five-six-seven-eight-nine-ten."

On ten she slowly raised her head, and released an exasperated sigh without looking up into my eyes.

"No-red-shoes."

I let out a sigh of my own and shook my head in reaction, even though she wasn't looking at me to see it, "If Maddie wants to wear her red shoes, she can wear her red shoes, Bree. If you want to, we can use Google on the computer to see if it's okay to wear red and green together when it's not Christmas."

"Red shoes are _NOT _allowed! She must know this! She MUST!"

I didn't know what to say. I was at a total loss. If I continued to challenge her position it would only set her off again. It was now obvious that tonight was going to be one of those nights where I drowned myself in a bottle of wine after getting the kids to bed.

It was also obvious that going to Alice's for dinner was not a good idea, but it was too late to cancel on her. I turned to leave the room, which only infuriated Bree more, but I didn't know what else to do. Everything her behavior therapist had told us… and it was the hardest thing to do… but she said we had to start ignoring these behaviors when they occurred, and we had to stop giving in to her, or all she's learning is that her tantrums help her win.

Unfortunately, I was the one who usually had to deal with all of the behaviors by myself.

"You have five minutes to calm down, put your shoes on, and join us at the front door. If you're not there, then I will have to call Aunt Alice and tell her we cannot come over tonight. The choice is yours, Bree." I replied firmly. "I love you, and so does Maddie, and Aunt Alice. I hope you will make the right decision so that we can all have fun tonight, together."

Her face was still pressed into her lap, but I could hear her grumbling to herself. After turning my body around to finally leave her in the room, I heard something new crash into a wall and closed my eyes with a grimace taking over my face.

I pulled my phone from my pocket and dialed Alice's number.

"You're not allowed to cancel on me. I'm pulling out my homemade sweet potato fries right now!"

"One, you're insane, and I'm going to start calling you Alicetty Crocker. Two, Bree is having one of her epic meltdowns, so we're going to be a little late. I might have to stay here with her and just have you bring the twins over for some two-on-one Auntie time. I don't want them to miss out because of their sister." I explained, hoping she wouldn't give me too hard of a time.

"Nonsense, I'll just finish getting everything out of the oven and bring it all over there. She can either choose to join us, or stay in her room. We'll be there in fifteen minutes."

"We?"

"Yeah, Garrett's joining us. Today was his last day working at the park, so they let him off early." My best friend explained.

"Oh, gotcha. Okay, if it's no big deal, then I guess that would be better. Thanks, Alice."

"No worries! See you soon!"

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><p>Twenty minutes later, Alice was walking in through our back door with Garrett following closely behind her carrying two big covered trays of food with him.<p>

"I brought two jumbo bottles." Alice announced, waving a two big bottles of wine in the air with a smile on her face. She crossed the room and gave me a equally big hug, and then asked me where Bree was.

"She's in her room now, refusing to come out. The throwing stopped, so that's good."

"I'll go and try to talk to her. Foods all cooked and ready to eat, help your selves." Alice insisted, and then shot me wink before turning to head down the hallway towards the kids rooms.

When I turned around, I found Garrett smiling in my direction. He set the food down on the counter top and offered me a soft, "Hey you."

"Hi. Sorry for changing the plans on you guys."

"Things happen. No big deal, even if it was a treacherous walk across the beach sand to get over here," he teased, "Just glad we could work something else out. I start work tomorrow, and I know your husband is going to make sure he keeps me busy. So, I figured tonight might be the last night I'd be able to see you before hell week starts." He casually joked, while still smiling in my direction.

"Yeah, you're probably right about that. He's got a lot of stuff going on again." I mumbled before making my way past him to get into the kitchen. I pulled down some plates and cups from the cabinets and set them on the counter beside the trays of food before pulling my hair up off of my shoulders to take in a deep breath and slowly exhale.

"He's going to do the movie then?"

"Yup, looks that way. How could he not? It's with one of his favorite directors and a lead role?"

I began plating the food for the twins and then tossed the bottle opener to Garrett, who was thankfully paying attention enough to catch it in his hands.

"It's a pretty big deal, but how do you feel about all of it?"

I considered his question for a few seconds and shrugged my shoulders. "I'm still getting used to all of this I guess. At least I have Mrs. Coupe now for some _me_ time during the week." He nodded his head in response without saying a word and began pouring the wine into three adult glasses. After squirting some ketchup onto the kid's plates, I went into the living room to tell the twins their special dinner was ready. They instantly jumped up from the couch to run to their high chairs and the sight of them helped me smile for the first time since Bree's most recent meltdown. Garrett helped buckle Aidan in while Maddie hugged me tightly before allowing me to set her down. I returned the embrace tenfold and kissed the top of head.

"Love you, momma!" I smiled at the sound of her words and set her plate down before heading back into the living room to grab their sippy cups, while Garrett got them started on their specially prepared meals.

"Your Aunt made this just for you guys! If you eat it all, we can decorate cookies after dinner for dessert!" He told my kids, which brought on lots of loud clapping from their little hands. I smiled appreciating his effort to help, and set their cups down on their trays before returning to the kitchen to retrieve my own wine filled cup.

"Have you gotten any more pieces done for the show?" I asked, trying to make conversation.

"Yeah, a couple. How about you?"

"I've started a few, but not finished anything new. Hopefully next week."

Just then Alice came out with Bree by her side, holding her hand, smiling as if all was right in the world, and she hadn't just destroyed two bedrooms not even a half hour ago.

"I will eat now. Maddie, you may have your red shoes. Google said its okay. Aunt Alice showed me."

I smirked over her announcement and shook my head in disbelief.

"Yay for Google! Let us eat!" Alice exclaimed, casting me another wink from her eye. I mouthed a quick, 'thank you', and handed Bree her plate which she immediately took to the dining room table to begin eating.

"You're pretty good with her, huh?" Garrett questioned my best friend.

"Nah, I just caught her at the right moment, after she'd had some time to simmer down." She insisted, and then gave my shoulder a tight squeeze.

"Jane will be back soon. Splitting time will help. She misses her mom I think… and being the center of attention." I replied, but I couldn't help but wonder who I was trying to convince more; them, or me.

Alice offered me another smile and nodded her head agreeing with me. "It's hard to not be the center of attention. If anyone knows that it's her Auntie." She teased playfully. I laughed nervously and took my plate from the counter to go join the kids in the dining room, while Alice and Garrett finished making their own.

I sat there silently, watching them joke with each other in the kitchen and found myself smiling over the sight of my friend seemingly happy, and without a care in the world. She was a good actress, but not that good. She must be genuinely okay with the state her marriage was in, otherwise there was no way she would seem so carefree, and without much worry on her mind… Which was, at the same time, insane to me, but I couldn't deny the fact that she really did seem okay.

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><p>After we were all finished eating, Garrett got to work setting up the cookie decorating station, and I cleaned off the plates to get them into the dishwasher. Alice had taken the kids out onto the back porch with their giant foam building blocks to play before the rain storm hit, and silence had swiftly settled in to begin its choke out of the room. I knew the inevitable conversation topic was on its way and I was dreading it.<p>

"So, Florida was fun?" Garrett questioned after a few painful minutes. Aside from the water running in the sink, the room was dead quiet. Neither one of us seemed to know how to start up a pleasant conversation.

"There were certainly fun moments… and lots of amazing memories made that I'll be transferring onto paper soon." I replied with a half-smile, my back still turned to him as I continued to rinse the dishes off.

"I'm sure the kids had a blast."

"Yup."

I wasn't trying to be short with him, but I really didn't know how else to respond without showing some disappointment over the memories of the _kid-less_ portion of our trip.

"And are you going to tell me what's going on with Alice's husband?"

I turned my head for a quick second to look him dead in the eyes, and then quickly scanned the back porch area to make sure my best friend was still busy outside. She was, so I was able to breathe again.

"Not now. Truthfully, I really don't want to talk about it at all. In fact, I'm trying my best to forget that any of it even happened. The guys will be out here in three weeks, so it doesn't really matter anyways. The reset button has apparently already been pressed and life will continue to go on." I insisted, praying he would just drop it.

"Okay, fair enough, but… it wasn't about me, was it? I mean… I don't want to meet the guy and have him already thinking I've tried to get with his wife. I think I deserve a heads up if that's the case, Bella."

I instantly glared in his direction and let out a huff before setting the last dish from the sink down into the dishwasher. "Look _buddy_, you're the one who accepted the offer to move in with a married woman, whose husband was living on the other side of the country. You had to know questions and accusations would eventually start to fly." I pointed out, still glaring at him, with my arms firmly crossed firmly in front of me.

"So then… it _is_ about me?" He looked legitimately worried, which surprised me for some reason.

"No. I mean Jake asked me about you, if there was anything going on, but you're not the problem, or even the real issue, so don't worry about it. Just forget I even said anything. Lord knows I'd like to forget ALL of it." I could feel the tears of frustration knocking behind my inner wall. It was imperative that I avoid any and all eye contact at the moment or I'd crack. And that was the last thing I needed to happen, what with Alice being right outside the back door.

Garrett took a slow step towards me so that we were only about a foot apart. I kept my stare locked on his black and red sneakers, refusing to redirect my line of vision, but then he pressed his index finger under my chin and tilted it upwards so that I'd be forced to look him in the eyes. "You already know I'm a good listener… If something is bothering you, and you feel like you can't talk about it with anyone else because they're too closely involved, or because they just wouldn't understand, or they're… too busy… you can always come to me. It's never good to keep things bottled up, Bella."

"There's nothing to talk about. Everyone is full of flaws, and capable of triggering disappointments. I guess I'm just mad at myself… I'm pissed off that I still hadn't learned or accepted that, even after everything I'd been through."

"You're right, no one is perfect, and everyone makes mistakes; but at the same time, we all learn something and grow from those mistakes. That's why they're important to make. Mistakes help us evolve into the people we're meant to be." I glanced away, feeling slightly uncomfortable with the conversation we were having, but a part of me knew he was right. "Look, I don't know who cheated, or if that's even what's happened, but I do know Alice has seemed happier than ever over the last week and a half. Hopefully that will help ease your mind a little? She's okay, Bella. I promise. Whatever happened, she's come out on top, and she seems stronger than ever."

My bottom lip quivered and anxiously made its way between my teeth. I instantly began rocking side to side on my feet while I processed everything Garrett had just said. "The less you know the better, but it does help to hear that she's been doing alright. I've felt like such a shitty friend over the last twenty-four hours."

"You are not a shitty friend. Please stop beating yourself up over something that was entirely out of your control. Regardless of what actually happened; no one can ever control fate, because everything happens for a reason, and I know you're a true believer of that. All we can do is react to the best of our ability, and ride out the wave to see where it takes us. Now, take a deep breath, and let's get the little hooligans back in here to decorate their cookies." Garrett suggested, giving me a playful shove backwards. I swatted his arm with my opened hand and nodded my head in agreement. Hearing that Alice really had been doing okay… it had definitely helped ease my mind. I still wasn't sure how… or when I'd be able to forgive Jasper for what he'd done. Or how I'd be able to block everything from my memory once he was here, but if Alice had found a way, then I was sure that eventually I would too.

"Thanks, Garrett."

He smiled and brought me in under his arm for a brief side embrace, "Of course… What are friends are for, Bella?"

* * *

><p><strong>AN: So yeah, Bella is still having a hard time, but you have to remember everything just happened the day before. It's all still fresh for her, and she's still trying to sort out her emotions. (And if you remember Bella in TMT, you know she has a hard time coping when things start to stray off course.)**

**Next chapter is going to be Edward's POV and it's about half way complete. It starts with Edward on his way home from his big meeting with the director of his next possible film… and he's not in the best of moods. **

**Thanks so so much for reading!**

_***Reviews make me happy!***_


	13. Inevitable Opportunity

**Disclaimer: Twilight and its characters belongs to SM. I just like to use their names. **

**A/N: Hi again! Sorry this one took me a few extra days. I've been sitting on this update while trying to decide which direction I would take things next... I've had a few new ideas/plot twists pop into my head and they're refusing to be ignored. So, because of that, I've decided to do something a little fun. *PLEASE-PLEASE* read the A/N at the end of this chapter if you're interested in helping me make up my mind. *wink***

**Big thanks to my beta, _myonlyheroin._ She got this back to me in less than 24 hours because she's just that ****awesome!**

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><p><strong>Inevitable Opportunity<strong>

**Chapter 13**

**~Edward~**

The drive home from the office seemed shorter than usual. If I were to be totally honest with myself, I already knew why that was... It had everything to do with the nauseous feeling that had developed in the pit of my stomach ever since I ended the Skype call with Smith and his executive producer.

Everything had been going so well… so goddamn well, and then he'd dropped the first bomb on me.

Initially, I'd figured I'd just heard him wrong; my head had been spinning over the number he'd thrown my way in regards to what I'd be paid for taking on the role… But then her name was mentioned again and I instantly realized I was in deep, deep shit.

After ending the call, I immediately shut down my computer and gathered my stuff before storming out of my office. I'd left James behind without uttering a single word to him. I was pissed, and he already knew why. In that moment words didn't matter. He'd absolutely set me up without even hinting that there would be some massive bullshit I'd have to sort through first.

"God dammit!" I swiftly snatched up my cell phone from the passenger seat and let out another frustrated growl. If I didn't call him to make my position perfectly clear, he would call me, and James always seemed to have the worst timing.

In typical James fashion, he answered after the third ring. "I figured I'd be hearing from you within the next few minutes. Just wanted to give you some time to let things settle before…"

"I know you knew about this!" I accused, refusing to let him finish his pretentious sentence.

"Of course I knew. Stop over reacting, Cullen. It's all a part of the game when you're trying to help someone further their career. I'm not here to hold your hand. I'm here to provide opportunity, guide you, and push you when you need pushing."

"Why wouldn't you tell me ahead of time? And how the hell did word not get back to me?! You know this changes everything!" I shouted back, after punching the top of my steering wheel. I was sitting at a red light, only a few blocks from home now.

"It doesn't have to change anything. I really don't see what the big deal is. That's honestly why I didn't bother saying anything. You would have just over analyzed everything to the point where you wouldn't have even sat down to talk with them."

"You know how Bella feels about her, James. She's made that perfectly clear multiple times when you've been around. There's no way she's going to be okay with me signing on to co-star with her in this film!" I shouted; Anger had clearly taken over my entire existence by this point.

"That's ridiculous. What's the big deal? You guys won't even have any heavy romantic scenes together. There's absolutely no reason for Bella to get her panties in a bunch over this. You're too fresh in the industry to be turning down major movie deals like this, Cullen. It would be career suicide."

I shook my head and ran my freed hand through my hair before turning into our driveway to park and sit while I tried my best to calm down. There was no way I could go inside and see my family like this. Bella would insist on talking about it right away, and I just wasn't ready to do that yet.

"I'm going to need a few days, James. I can't give him the answer he wants by tomorrow. You've got to get me more time."

"I already called him back and asked him to give us until Wednesday, but what's to think over? You wanted to be an actor. Actors ACT in movies. Sometimes they have to ACT in movies with people that can be a pain in the ASS, but that's all part of the territory and you KNOW this! If you turn this role down, you'll be making a huge mistake, and you KNOW that as well! Stop acting like a dimwitted kid and grow a pair of balls. Jesus!"

"You're lucky I'm not there right now, or I'd probably punch you in the damn face. My marriage will always come first and because of that fact, I'm going to need more than three days. Now call him again and tell him I'll let him know by Saturday. I'm off the clock for the rest of the night. Goodbye." With my final word, I shoved my phone into my pocket and slammed my car door shut. I let out another frustrated growl and kicked my tire with every ounce of force I could gather.

I hadn't heard from Bella since her last text, and that was sent hours ago. That's when she'd informed me that Bree had destroyed the twin's room again, and that it was going to be my responsibility to clean it all up.

Yup, I was walking into a potential shit storm of an evening. I figured I'd at least score a few positive points by being home an hour earlier than I'd originally promised her.

I certainly hadn't expected to walk in and hear her laugh echoing down the hall way from the living room.

After placing my keys on the table by the front door, I set my briefcase against the wall and made my way to the end of the hallway. I glanced around the corner and saw my kids all dancing around in their pajamas to the theme song from Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. A smile instantly replaced my serious expression and I felt my body easily relax thanks to the sight that I was now witnessing. When the song came to an end, Bree did a quick curtsy for her audience and then did her best to assist Aidan and Maddie in doing one of their own.

I was applauding for my little trio when I finally brought myself into the room to find Bella sitting at the middle of the couch with a sketch pad in her lap, and Garrett sitting closely beside her with his own pad and pencil in hand. Alice was laying on her stomach over the rug videoing the scene with her phone in the palm of her hand.

"Ah! Edward! You're home early!" Bella was on her feet before I could even utter a quiet hello.

"Yeah, I wanted to surprise you. I didn't realize you'd all be over here. I was going to change and head over to Alice's," I explained after glancing around the room. My eyes quickly settled on Garrett. He'd closed his sketch book rather quickly, and was now pretending to be busy on his cell phone. I knew he was pretending, because I did the same thing whenever something would suddenly take place in a social setting that I'd rather not take part in.

Garrett was a nice guy. I could see his appeal. What I didn't like was the obvious wall he'd put up between us. That of course made me question his truer intentions when it came to the time he spent with my wife. Giving him a job was my way of providing an opportunity to really get to know him. Since it seemed he wouldn't be going anywhere anytime soon, I really hadn't been left with much of an option.

I saw him whisper something to my wife and felt my annoyance level elevate once again.

She smiled and nodded her head in response, and then watched him get up from beside her before redirecting her attention back onto me.

It annoyed the crap out of me that I couldn't hear what he'd said to her to make her smile like that.

I watched him as he picked up the three wine glasses from the coffee table and forced a smile of my own after he finally offered me a nod from his head.

"Hey, man."

"How's it going, Garrett. Ready for work tomorrow?"

"You know it, _boss_!"

I forced another smile and gave his shoulder a friendly pat as he continued to walk by me to head into the kitchen.

It also annoyed the crap out of me when people referred to me as, 'boss'.

"Daddy, dance!" Maddie exclaimed after latching on to the side of my pants and breaking my stare from Alice's current housemate. I smirked at my littlest princess and nodded my head before bending down to pick her up into my arms. "One song, and then daddy has to change out of his work clothes. It's almost bed time, too! The Goodnight Fairies will be here soon with their sweet dream dust!" I gently informed her as I began twirling her around the room. I shot Bella a wink from my eye and she smiled bashfully before turning the page in her sketch book to start on a new 'doodle'.

I moved us around the furniture, following the rhythm of the song perfectly. I knew every word and every tempo change by heart since it was one of her favorites. Once the song came to an end, I set Madison's little feet down onto the ground and planted a firm kiss at the top of her head.

"Alright, my loves! Bed time!" Bella shouted almost instantly, saving me from having to be the bad guy.

"No, no, nooooooooooo!" Bree exclaimed in response just as she started running circles around me with her arms raised high above her head.

"I'll take the twins, you get Bree." Bella easily directed, with an added wink from her eye. I agreed with a silent nod from my head, and then told her I'd meet her back here in the family room in twenty minutes for some quality grown up time.

"I guess we'll head out," Alice spoke up as she raised her body from the position she'd been in over our shaggy beige rug.

"Now, you don't have to leave on account of me." I quickly insisted, while I lifted Bree up into the air to playfully toss her over my shoulder and tickle her foot. "You guys are grown ups too."

"Yeah, stay! We won't be very long," Bella added. She'd taken the twins by their hands, and had already begun to lead them back towards the hallway of the house that would take them to the bedrooms, "Say goodnight, guys!" she prompted while swaying their arms back and forth between them.

"Night, Auntie Alice! Night, night Gar-Ferret!" Maddie exclaimed with a tiny giggle. I raised my brow in reaction to having heard Madison's apparent nickname for her Auntie Alice's house guest and her mother's new doodle time buddy. I had to remind myself that I had bigger things to focus on at the moment. The fact that this guy was still finding random ways to get under my skin was the least of my worries.

"Nah, Alice is right. We should get going. After all, I do have an early first day tomorrow. Thanks for having us over, Bella. It was fun... As always." Garrett smiled at my wife, and she quickly thanked him for bringing the wine over.

"It was exactly what I needed this evening. I'm glad you guys talked me into hanging out. Good luck tomorrow! Don't let this guy work you too hard!"

He laughed, nodded his head, and tucked his sketch book snuggly under his arm before giving me one last glance. With a wave of his hand he turned to make his way towards the back door. "Come on, Alice. You have an early call time, too!"

"Yeah, yeah, _dad_. Goodnight, guys! Oh, and congrats on the new role, Edward! If you learn of any smaller parts in Smiths film that still need to be cast, you know where to find me! I'll talk to you tomorrow, Bells."

I laughed at Bella's best friend's suggestion and watched them as they slipped out the backdoor with Alice linking her arm through Garrett's. After the door closed behind them, I locked the deadbolt and turned around to follow my wife towards the kid's room, enjoying the view of her tight bottom in her well fitted charcoal grey leggings with every step she took in front of me.

"See you soon, Care Bear."

"Not soon enough."

I grinned at her response and felt more of the tension in my shoulders leave my body. Maybe tonight's conversation wouldn't be so bad. Maybe she'd surprise me and not react at all? Maybe she'd actually trust me enough to know it would only be a job and nothing more.

Yeah.

Right.

"Daddy, I had a not so good moment tonight. I messed up brother and sister's room. I did not know you could wear red and green when it is not Christmas time. Now I know. It will not happen again. Tomorrow I will wear red and green to show Maddie that I am sorry."

I couldn't help but smile over my daughter's innocent confession as well as her future plans for tomorrows outfit.

"I'm sure Momma Bella knows that you felt badly after it happened. It's important that you always try your best though. You have to stop and listen, and then think about what you say and do before you say and do it. I know sometimes that's hard, but it's important that you try your best every time. I will help you pick up the twins room in the morning, if you promise to try harder next time."

"I promise I will try very, very much harder and bester every time, Daddy."

I nodded my head and gently pulled her comforter up under her arms to tuck her in.

"Would you like to hear a story?"

"No, no, my daddy. Not tonight. I am very ex-sauce-sted. We danced a lot, you know."

My heart hurt a little after hearing her reply. I hated the idea of her no longer needing a story at bedtime, but I also knew Bella would be waiting for me, and I wanted to try and get some good quality time in before I told her about my meeting with Smith.

"Okay, Princess. I love you very much. Sweet dreams."

"Yes. In the morning, I will see you. Sweetest dreams, daddy. My love, loves you."

I smiled and kissed her forehead one last time, and then made my way to her dresser to turn on her white noise machine. When I turned around she was already knocked out clutching her soft Cinderella doll to her body.

After closing the bedroom door behind me I could hear Bella still getting the twins settled, so I decided to make my way into our room to change out of my work clothes and splash some cool water on my face. My phone had been buzzing in my pocket since I'd walked through the front door, but I was refusing to look at its screen. Whatever it was… whoever it was… they could wait. I needed to give my wife my undivided attention this evening because I was quite certain that things were going to escalate fast once I filled her in on everything I'd learned, and what it would mean if I did sign on to do this film.

When I made my way into the kitchen I was surprised to find Bella already standing at the sink with her back turned to me. She was rinsing out the wine glasses that Garrett had brought in from the living room. I watched silently for a few seconds while she swayed her body back and forth humming something to herself as she rubbed out the inside of the last wine glass with the blue sponge she was grasping tightly in her hand. I stepped up behind her and slowly slid my opened hands across her perfect waistline to pull her backwards up against me. She let out a soft giggle and pressed her backside against me, just as I brought my teeth beside her ear to whisper a soft 'hello, gorgeous'. I smiled against her cheek and held her firmly against my body while I stared at our reflection in the window above the sink. Her eyes were closed, and a taunting grin had spread across her beautiful face.

"Did you have a good time tonight?" I asked before kissing the space between her ear lobe and jaw line. She pressed herself further against me and moaned a soft affirmation, her eyes still firmly closed, and her lips still drawn upwards creating a true grin.

"Good. That makes me feel better. Did you have a lot to drink tonight?"

"Nah, just enough to help me forget the less fun portion of my evening, but not enough that I'm slurring my speech or unable to function," She teased, I could see her smile change in the reflection of the window, and the sight of her biting down onto her bottom lip had instantly caused my cock to twitch to life. I brought my lips to the nap of her neck and gently pressed them against her soft skin. She tilted her head to the side, allowing me further access to bite at the sensitive space just above her clavicle.

"Edward, you just put Bree down. There's no way she's asleep already." She warned with apprehension clearly in her tone.

I ignored her warning and ran my hand further past her bellybutton to dip my fingertips carefully between her thighs. I could feel her warmth almost instantly, and it took everything in me to not lift her upwards onto that counter top in that moment. I wasn't sure what had come over me. All I could think about was causing her to tremble under my touch, and hearing her moan my name.

I suppose there was something about coming home from work and finding your wife sitting cozily up beside the same guy who she easily shared so many interests with… the same guy who also seemed to always be around at all the right moments these days… and the same guy who had subtly expressed an interest in her from the very first time I'd met him.

Not to mention that there was a possibility I'd be leaving her for days at a time in the near future.

No, I wasn't feeling territorial.

Not-at-all.

"Shhhh!" I instantly ordered, "Bree's asleep. I promise. She always passes out fast after a day with one of her fits."

"Huh… I think you're trying to take advantage of my tipsy state, Mr. Cullen."

"Well, someone should reap the benefits of Garrett's generosity. Did you have an accident?" There was an obvious red stain at the center of her light blue tightly fitted t-shirt.

"I spilled some wine on my shirt when Madison attempted her first spontaneous somersault over the back of the sofa," she shared with a light laugh escaping past her lips. I wasted no time in bringing my finger tips to the hem at the bottom of her shirt to lift its fabric up above her head. I quickly tossed the piece of clothing across the kitchen and leaned back to admire her flawless figure resulting in the beat of my heart quickening its pace. She was wearing her white and black lace bra. It was one of my favorites. Without hesitation, I reached around her to slide my index fingers between the space of the lacy fabric and the soft skin of her breasts so I'd be able to graze her perked nipples. Her body quaked and she instantly pushed herself deeper against me.

"Are you wearing the panties that match this?"

"Maybe I am." She taunted as she ran her own hand behind her back, and down the center of my belly towards the elastic band of my boxer shorts. "How did your meeting go, Stalker?"

_Fuck, not now! _This conversation needed to wait. Right now, I needed to remind her that she would always be my everything. No matter what obstacle life might throw in front of us, nothing would ever challenge what we had because what we had was unbreakable.

"Work is the last thing on my mind at the moment. I'd apologize, but truthfully, I'm not at all sorry about that."

"Really? What's got you so worked up, Edward?"

She was teasing me.

"I don't know, Bella. I think it probably has something to do with these tight pants of yours, and the fact that they're begging to be removed."

She let out a light laugh and pushed out her bottom to suddenly force me away from her backside. I watched her stick her ass out with absolute purpose as she gently slid her thumbs past the fabric of the spandex she was wearing to bring it down past her ankles. She turned herself around to grin back at me, and then slowly kneeled down to remove the pants from around her ankles.

"Is this better?" She toyed after taking a seductive step with her right leg, extending it out at her side. She leaned herself further back against the counter top and then lifted her body upwards to sit upon the smooth surface.

Seeing her sitting there in nothing but her bra and panties with her legs now partially spread right in front of me… I was ready to take every part of her into my mouth. She lifted her arms to drape them over my shoulders after playful brushing her finger tips across my pelvis and then up my sternum.

"I think I might like Alice and Garrett coming by with a few bottles of wine… maybe we should make it a bi-nightly thing?" I toyed after taking a step closer to her so that are bodies were now pressed together.

"I doubt they would attest to that."

"Let's take this to our bedroom."

"But I thought Bree was asleep."

"Is that a challenge, Care Bear?"

She giggled and shook her head, "I trust your judgment, Stalker. You know Bree better than anyone else. That is fact. It's just been awhile since we've done anything… dangerous. " It was the expression on her face that caused the guilt to sneak back in.

"I'm sorry you had a rough night, baby."

"I don't want to talk about tonight. All I want right now is to feel_ you_ between _my_ legs. Think you can handle that?"

Even though she'd denied it, her speech was slightly slurred, but I didn't care. She'd without a doubt earned the altered state she was in, and Alice had given me the all telling wink, letting me know that she herself had cut down on her own intake in order to be sober enough to tend to the kids if Bella had ended up having one too many sips this evening.

Every once in a while, she deserved a night of carefree behavior. Tonight, Alice had granted her one of those hall-passes, so I'd have to thank her in the morning for being here when I couldn't be.

Without warning, I lifted Bella up over my shoulder and slapped her left ass cheek hard enough to leave my hand imprinted onto her delicate soft white skin.

"We didn't get to have much adult like fun on our vacation, did we?" I questioned as I began walking us towards the den on the other side of the house.

"That seems to be the norm these days," She gently replied, a twinge of sadness in her tone. I frowned and leaned myself forward to set her down onto her feet. After reaching over to turn the lamp on, I redirected my stare downwards to where my wife was now sliding herself backwards across the smooth, solid surface of my large oak desk. Her arms were now suggestively spread at her sides in order to position herself safely in place.

My desire to have all of her doubled once her right index finger shot out to coax me forward towards her partially naked body.

I ran my knee upwards between her thighs and pressed it firmly against the moistened area of her black lace panties.

"I miss our grown up time." She softly confessed; her eyes sealed shut as my fingers traced her sternum up towards the nape of her neck. "I miss it a lot, Edward."

"I do too, baby. That's why we need to take advantage of every single moment we do have. Every stolen moment will always be like this. Touching you… being beside you… inside of you… holding you in my arms, and feeling your naked body move against mine. There's no place I would ever rather be." I dipped my fingers past the silk and lace of her panties and traced her pussy's lips before pushing them further past her dampened opening. I moaned as I felt her obvious excitement coat my fingers after she carefully began rocking herself over my hand and extended digits.

"Fuck, Edward!"

Her expletive, paired with my name, instantly sent me to my knees. After removing her panties from around her hips and pulling them down past her ankles, I lifted both of her legs to drape them over my shoulders. My eyes scanned her delicate center as I dipped my fingers back inside of her. My action elicited another loud moan from her opened mouth, when I slowly removed my slicked digits from her trembling center to bring them into my mouth.

I needed to taste her ecstasy on my tongue, "Jesus, you're delicious."

"You say that every time." She challenged, her eyes were opened now and staring directly into mine as she slowly leaned herself back further onto her extended arms. "Don't stop now. After all, I'm sure you forgot to eat dinner tonight, Stalker."

She was right. I had forgotten to eat dinner.

Just then my phone began vibrating from my pants, and thanks to the change in my pockets, its alert had become more than obvious.

"Jesus Christ! I'm sorry. I told him to leave me alone for the rest of the night." I reached in and quickly tossed the stupid thing across the room where it hit the wall and fell to the floor with a loud crash.

Bella's expression slowly changed as I watched her carefully slid her hips forward so that she'd be positioned right at the edge of the desk. She lowered her feet down to the ground and crossed her legs in front of me before taking in a deep breath.

I already knew I was in trouble.

"Tell me how your meeting went."

I leaned back feeling absolutely shell shocked by her extreme change of pace. I was literally seconds away from having her coming over my opened mouth, but now she wanted to give me the third degree over my job?

"What the hell, Bella?"

"I'm sorry. I just… I know… I can tell… Yes, I've had a few glasses of wine, but I know something's up and until you tell me, I'm just not going to be able to truly get into this."

Still feeling stunned by her abrupt halt, I ran my hand anxiously through my hair as I tried to decide how to start this conversation. She was dead set on talking it out, and I could tell by the look in her eyes that I wasn't getting out of it. That was absolutely obvious, and I was more than annoyed about it.

"They're offering me one point five million, with the possibility of a sequel where I'd earn at least double depending on the box office numbers."

"Shut up!"

She was sitting up much straighter now, and her eyes were wide with disbelief.

I glanced down, feeling bashful for some reason and nodded my head.

"And?"

All I could do was shrug in response to her question.

I didn't know how to tell her the 'and' part. You would have thought I'd have come up with something by now, but I hadn't. I felt like a deer in headlights, unable to speak, which was entirely unlike me; especially under stressful situations.

"Tell me the bad news. I know there's bad news, Edward."

When I said nothing, she released a frustrated huff and crossed her arms in front of her, instantly signaling she really did mean business.

No play time until we discussed the inevitable catapult of many arguments for our future.

"What don't you want to tell me? Will you have to go away? Of course you will… For how long? How far?"

"Are we really going to talk about all of this right now?"

"Yes! I told you! I won't be able to relax and enjoy myself until I know what's happening."

I let out a sigh and leaned back onto the carpet with my arms extended outward behind me, "We would be filming mostly in NOLA, but some scenes will be filmed in D.C., and then a week and a half over sea's someplace. They haven't finalized that location yet, but somewhere with a lot of sand and very little technology. I'd be gone pretty much a week at a time, having most weekends off, for up to two months." I replied, avoiding her eyes.

There was still more.

That wasn't even the worst of it.

"Okay. What else?"

Yup, she knew I always started with the smaller bombs first and worked my way up to the atomic one.

"How do you feel about everything so far?" I questioned as I tossed her panties over to her. She caught them with her right hand and let out a huff while leaning forward to swiftly pull them up her legs.

All I could do now was pray that she'd stay level headed so we'd be able to discuss things civilly and get back to where we'd left off five minutes ago.

I knew the chances of that happening were slim to none.

"So far? So far, I'm still undecided. I'm waiting for you to tell me the part that's got you looking as if you're ready to jump off the top of a tall building." She was teasing me, but the smile on her face forced and it also wouldn't last much longer.

"They cast the lead female role this afternoon. Her contract is already signed."

Her smirk turned serious, and her posture went rigid, "Not Maggie again?"

"No not, Maggie. She'd be all wrong for the part. It will require someone a little older; a more seasoned actress who can take on an action role, but do it in a pair of heels without breaking a sweat."

The moment the name entered her head she pushed herself away from the desk to begin pacing the room.

"Victoria. They cast Victoria Rachelle."

I nodded my head, even though she wasn't looking at me to see my nonverbal response.

"How could you not know about this? You're her damn agent!"

"James… he was handling it since there was a possible conflict of interest."

She let out a scoff and threw her hands up into the air, "Of course he was handling it. James handles everything." She became silent after that, still pacing the room, but not saying another word.

"Bella?"

She tugged at her hair and closed her eyes while taking in a long deep breath before slowly exhaling. "What else do I need to know before I tell you how I feel about this newest opportunity of yours? How many sex scenes? How many times will her fantasy finally come true? How many times will she get to have your lips on her body?"

"Bella, Please try to…"

"Don't you dare tell me to calm down, Edward Cullen! You know what that woman has put me through. You know how she's made me feel since day one! I knew it was too good to be true when her name hadn't been mentioned in over a month. I bet she's the reason Smith is even considering you for the stupid part."

"Gee, thanks." I'm not going to lie, that hurt my ego more than she'd ever know, but I couldn't blame her for thinking it. Truth be told, the thought had entered my mind, too.

She spun around to finally look me in the eyes and her face crumbled almost instantly. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean that. See! She brings out the ugliest parts of me!"

"Bella, there are no sex scenes in this film. I promise. There's one brief kiss when the two characters are hiding from someone in a crowd, but throughout most of the film they honestly can't stand each other, and her character is even married. Look, I want you to read the script. I want you to be okay with this. If you're not absolutely okay with it, then I'm not doing it. You're my priority. I will always choose you before anything else."

Her body remained still, but I could see her eyes scanning the room left to right and top to bottom. She was feeling exposed, and not at all comfortable.

"Here, you can put this on." I pulled my tee-shirt up over my head and tossed it towards her. Her small frame was swimming in the damn thing but it didn't matter. She was past the point of standing around in her underwear, and I knew picking up where we'd left off was now out of the question. I kept my eyes on her as she crossed her arms in front of her chest and redirected her own eyes downward towards her bare feet.

"I wish I could be that wife, Edward. I wish I could just say, 'Honey, that's awesome!' and support you without questioning a single thing, or giving any of it a second thought."

I frowned and took a step closer towards her allowing me to reach out and lift her chin. I wanted her to see the look in my eyes, so she would know how difficult of a situation this would be for me as well. Not for the same reason as her though… for me it was the time I'd have to spend away. "This is not what I wanted."

"You're going to be away from me… and you're going to be with _her_… all of those days and nights."

"I'd fly home at every opportunity, and you already know I can't stand Victoria. You would have nothing to worry about, Bella. I know you know that, but sometimes it helps to hear it out loud."

She let out a huff and rolled her eyes, " I need… I need to get out of here. I can't think straight… I need to take a step back and really consider everything before I decide how I really feel. I don't want to just react, because right now… it wouldn't be a fair reaction." She said all of this while pacing the room again, every once in a while she'd glance up into my eyes, but those moments would only last a few seconds.

When she turned towards the door that would lead her out onto our back patio, I called out to stop her. "Bella, it's freezing outside."

"I'll be fine. I just need some fresh air. I won't stay out long. Just give me thirty minutes."

I wouldn't bother trying to talk her out of it.

What I was asking… I understood why she needed some time to sort through it all. I didn't expect her to just jump for joy, or simply brush it all off and then give me her blessing to sign my name on the dotted line. If she needed a few minutes alone, then I would absolutely grant her that request without pressuring her.

"Please don't stay out too long. I love you, baby. I love you so, so, very much. I know I could make you proud with this role. I really do believe that." She nodded her head and blew me a kiss from her hand and then took off into the night down our wooden stairs at the base of the deck that would take her out towards the waves that were crashing on the beach shore.

She needed time, so I'd give her time.

It was one of the reasons why I'd told James he had to get me _more_ of it.

I knew Bella wouldn't be able to give me her answer right away.

Not the answer I wanted anyways.

I reached over to turn off the lamp that was illuminating the room, and then let out a frustrated grunt of my own. With the lights off, I knew I'd be able to make out her silhouette down by the water. Having her in view would help settle my unease because I also knew she wouldn't be paying attention to her surroundings.

As soon as my eyes adjusted to the darkness I noticed something else, though.

There was someone moving about next door on Alice's porch. It took me three seconds to realize that the someone I was seeing was in fact my newest temporary assistant.

Garrett was already past the bottom step sinking his feet into the sand, with his attention clearly set on Bella, and I was now seconds away from going down there to tell him to mind his own fucking business.

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><p><strong>AN: Oh Garrett… couldn't he just leave well enough alone? Tisk, tisk. **

**Now, here's what I need your help with;**

**What do you, as the reader, hope Bella will choose? Trust Edward, and just deal with the time apart, because in the bigger picture of things, she needs to learn to accept this kind of stuff if he's really going to be serious about his acting career? Keeping in mind that this is something he really-really wants to do, he just needs/wants her blessing.**

**~~OR~~**

**Would you want Bella to tell him no… keeping him home, instead of away for days at a time, but causing him to miss out on a major opportunity which could potentially set him back big time as a serious actor in the industry? Keeping in mind, two months is not forever, and how would she feel if he told her that she couldn't do something that would put her artwork on the fast track for recognition. **

**There will be certain events... domino effect-ish stuff... no matter**** which path they choose to go down, but I do promise a HEA ending with either choice.**

**So now all you have to do is leave me a review, giving me your thoughts, and your "vote" on a yes or no for Edward. I'll add them all up on Sunday 5.4.14, and then we will see where the popular vote takes these two in the next chapter. *wink***

**Thanks so much for reading, and as always I look forward to reading your thoughts! If anyone is going to be at Disney this weekend hit me up. I'll be there with my own little princess! **


	14. Green Means Go

_Disclaimer: My words are mine, but my characters are slightly borrowed. SM rules all. No copyright infringement is intended with the posting of this story. _

**A/N: Hi, Hi! Well, the reviews/opinions were tallied. Bella and Edward's path has been decided. Most will understand, others- not so much. I hope you'll all stick around. **

**Much love to my beta, myonlyheroin. She's seriously the best, and I am so lucky to have her! **

**Any and all mistakes are mine. **

**My fingers always seem to get twitchy during that final read through.**

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><p><strong>Green Means Go<strong>

**Chapter 14**

**~*Bella*~**

The moment my feet hit the water, a brisk chill ran up my legs and then followed my spine to the top of my head, sending a shiver down my body all the way back to tips of my toes. It was ridiculously cold out tonight, but I hadn't really noticed that until my feet had become giant ice cubes thanks to the ocean's water.

I took a few steps back, away from the waves that crashed onto the shore before me, and then slowly lowered myself down to sit on the sand. I pulled my knees upward to press them against my chest and then pulled my t-shirt down over my bare legs to cocoon myself from the brisk air. I should have at least taken the time to put some damn shoes and pants on, but in that moment all I could think about was getting away before I opened my mouth again. I was terrified that I'd say the wrong thing, so I knew the best thing for me to do was remove myself from the situation, and just reflect on everything… alone… without having Edward scrutinize my every sigh, growl, or frustrated grunt under his watchful eyes.

Victoria Rachelle would always and forever be the one person in my life that would cause me to feel as if I didn't belong in my own skin. I'd pretty much known that from the very first moment we'd met three years ago. I would never forget the night Edward had brought me to a work related dinner with him, and James, here in California. Mostly because it was the very next morning that I'd found out I was pregnant, but the hours leading up to that life changing moment had been some of the most annoying hours of my life.

It had been a work related dinning experience at the first restaurant I'd ever been to that required a dress code, so I'd already felt totally out of place as it was, and Victoria had picked up on that fact right away. She'd flirted openly with my then boyfriend, right in front of my face without a care in the world, or even an ounce of respect. Even after he'd become my husband, she'd still refused to let up. Edward had made it perfectly clear, though, that their relationship was, and always would be, nothing but professional. However, I knew she respected that about as much as she respected hearing the word 'no'… which was not a word she related to, or understood very well when inserted into her own everyday life.

I, without a doubt, believed that I absolutely could trust Edward. I trusted him enough to know he would never do anything to hurt me, or our family. However, that didn't mean the tabloids and camera wheeling vultures wouldn't try their best to insinuate something else if opportunity did present itself. That's what was bothering me most at the moment, which seemed silly, but still not something I could ignore or push away.

A fresh chill ran down my spine. I immediately began running my hands up and down my arms and legs to try and maintain my body temperature in order to keep my teeth from chattering to the point where I was seeing double.

Truthfully, I'd already made up my mind. I'd done that before he'd even told me about any of the _bigger_ details.

There was no way I could ever refuse him this kind of an opportunity. No... That was never even an option. This was more about me finding a way to cope with all of the _lesser_ details now. All of the 'what-if's', and the 'will you, Bella Swan Cullen, be able to handle having your life examined through pictures and video taken without permission, all the while strangers everywhere judge every little thing someone in your family does or says?'.

"Stupid, stupid, people! Stupid, stupid, vultures! Stupid, stupid, _everything_!"

"Talking to yourself, Bella? That's never a good sign."

I quickly turned my head around feeling flustered by the fact that I was apparently no longer alone on the dark beach, and then released an exasperated sigh after seeing who had suddenly joined me.

"Garrett? What are you doing out here?" I was surprised to find a grinning expression on his face as I watched him slowly take a seat beside me. He bumped my shoulder with his, and then stretched his legs out in front of him, before leaning back onto his extended arms.

"I was out on Alice's porch talking with my mom on the phone when I saw you hauling ass this way. Wanted to make sure you were okay."

"I'm fine." I quickly snickered, avoiding his eyes, praying he wouldn't push any further.

"Andddddd, that's a lie. You should seriously know by now that you can't bullshit me. If you don't want to talk about it, that's fine, but at least be honest with me, Bella. That being said, since we're both here, let's just talk about something else then… you know… to take your mind off of whatever it is that drove you out here practically naked… even though you're fine."

He was right, I wasn't in the mood to discuss my marriage, or the turbulence my family was currently facing. Let alone the fact that I was barely clothed. So, I instead took his advice and changed the subject.

"How's your mom doing?"

He smirked and nodded his head before sitting up to pull his hoodie off to offer it over to me. I took it from his hands and quickly draped it over my shoulders, and then pushed my arms through its sleeves, instantly appreciating the warmth it brought to my body.

"Thanks."

"Yup, can't have you catching pneumonia. My mom… She's good. Her, and my dad are celebrating their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary tonight. He bought her one of those trendy charm bracelets... Pansdora?"

I laughed and shook my head before correcting him, "Pandora, minus the 's', _nerd_. Those charms are nice. Now, you'll never have a hard time getting her a gift because they literally have thousands, for like every occasion imaginable." I teased, surprising myself with a smile that slowly spread across my face.

"Do you have one?"

"No, I don't really do jewelry, aside from these." I waved my left hand in front of me to flash him my wedding ring set that rested on my extended finger and then returned my hand at my knee that was still propped against my chest.

"Yeah, I was pretty sure I'd never seen you wear anything besides your lefty bling."

Silence settled in after that. I didn't know what else to say. What I did know was that I really didn't want any company at the moment, but I'd never been the assertive type when it came to getting out of awkward situation. Especially when my thoughts were jumping around all over the place.

"Edward's going to do the movie. He's waiting for me to give him my okay, but he already knows I'd never tell him no. So, really… I'm just out here having my own pity party, I guess… wishing I could just fast forward my life to next year and be done with all of this." I eventually blurted out.

"Oh... So that's what this is about? Well, then... I should probably get myself back inside." I turned my head to see him start to stand up and felt my jaw drop open.

"What? Why?" I was confused, because he had a not so hidden smirk on his face, but his words had come out sounding absolutely serious.

"Well, because if you ran out here, and left him behind after a life changing, and seemingly sounding serious conversation, then I am certain he's back _there_ standing in a window right now watching us… and he's probably not at all happy that I'm the one out _here_ with you, when he's the one who put you in such a vulnerable position. I'm a man… I know how our brains work, so don't try arguing with me. Your husband, my boss, is not at all happy with me right now."

I laughed and shook my head, "Well, I am not feeling vulnerable… just annoyed, and frustrated. And you know what? Good! I hope he is watching, because he should squirm a little, and he should also feel some frustration, and annoyance of his own!"

"Okay then, if you insist I stay and keep you company, I'm going to push a little further. What are you annoyed and frustrated about, Mrs. Cullen? Will there be more sock scenes, and countertop-slash-wall thumping in this film?"

I frowned and shook my head, "No... He'll just be gone a lot for at least two months."

"Doesn't that usually come with the territory when you're an actor?"

"Yes, smart ass, it does, but that doesn't mean I have to be okay with it. I'll remind you again, that up until a few months ago, my husband was not an actor, so all of this is still very new to me." I punched him in the side of the arm, and then slowly began to stand myself up, only to stumble back down onto my ass after my feet sunk into the sand unexpectedly.

He let out a light chuckle and stood up beside me to offer his hand down so that he could help me back up again. I rolled my eyes and smoothed the giant t-shirt I was wearing down past my knees as soon as he'd released his grasp from my opened palm.

"So... You're cool with him co-staring with Victoria Rachelle?"

I felt my mouth drop open again, "How did you..."

He smirked and extended his arm outward after gesturing with his head that we start walking back up towards the house, "Alice just about had a heart attack when she jumped on her laptop after we'd gotten home. It's all over the web apparently. She was trying to call you when I stepped out to call my mom. She filled me in a little on your history with her. She's hot as hell, but she sounds like a total bitch."

I rolled my eyes as I crossed my arms in front if my chest. "She _is_ a total bitch, but I'm certainly used to it by now. It bothers me, yes, but I trust Edward. If he wants to do this, then I'm going to support him to the best of my ability. Jane will be home soon, so Bree will go back to living with her and her other step mom the majority of the time. It won't be as bad… no, _bad_ isn't the right word… it won't be as difficult once it's just me and the twins."

"And you'll still have Mrs. Coupe."

"Yup, I'll still have Mrs. Coupe."

"Maybe you three can travel too... I mean it's a possibility, right? Families spend time on sets, don't they?" Garrett questioned once we were standing at the foot of the wooden steps that would lead me to my backdoor.

I turned to look up into his eyes for a moment, and then redirected my stare towards the moon above us, "Yeah, it's a possibility. We haven't really talked about the smaller details yet. He just told me the bigger ones. I kind of panicked and ran... Which is what I always seem to do when things stray off course. I thought I'd gotten better at handling stuff like this… these life explosions… but I guess there are still some things that set me off, and send me into fight or flight mode."

"Everyone's allowed some quiet time to reflect, and evaluate unexpected circumstances. That's called reacting to life, Bella. For what it's worth, though, you're handling your ripple much better than I am mine."

"What do you mean?"

"Nah, I don't want to bother you with my own life explosion."

I frowned and gave him a soft shove with my extended arm, "Spill it, buddy!"

He let out a nervous laugh and shrugged his shoulders before responding, "Well, Maggie called me earlier to tell me she's going to be going off to Canada for a month or two to film her next movie, and during her time off she will be busy doing the press tour for the last movie she did with Edward. I'm supposed to be moving in with her next weekend, which has made things kind of… well, uncertain, I guess."

"Oh, right! Crap! So what are you going to do?"

"Dunno yet. She said I can still stay at her place, but that just seems weird… Like, I'll be squatting someplace where I don't really belong. I mean we're good, things are really good, but this was already happening pretty fast for me. I think it would be kind of backwards to move in and live there alone on my own terms, with my own routine, and then have her come back and have to start all over."

I eyed him suspiciously and let a slow smile creep across my face. "Want to know what I think?"

"Yeah, of course."

"I think you're looking for an excuse." It was the honest truth and he knew it. That's why he didn't have an instant rebuttal ready in order to counter my very accurate accusation. He just stood there with his arms crossed in front of him avoiding my eyes.

"Not so fun to be on the other side of things, is it?" I teased, hoping it would make him smile again.

He laughed and nodded his head, "You're probably right. I mean, I shouldn't really be worried now, either. For all I know, I could be jetting off with your husband for the next two months, so who knows what my future really has in store for me."

I hadn't even considered the possibility of that. I mean… Garrett had agreed to be Edward's assistant for the next one to two months while Riley was backpacking in Europe… It made perfect sense that he might have to go with him while he's working on this latest film.

"Don't look so sad, Bella! You'll be fine, I promise. After all, you've got your ex moving in pretty soon. I'm sure you'll have your hands plenty full keeping him in check."

I snapped out of my deep thought and shook my head after realizing he was only teasing me, "Shut it. I'm sure Edward will let you know tomorrow about what will be expected from you while you're working for him. I should get back inside, though."

My whole body was trembling now from the cold air whipping around us.

"Okay. When he does let me know my schedule, I'll text you. I really want to find some time to get together during the week. I've got a piece that I could use your artistic opinion on."

I nodded my head, silently agreeing to his request, and then turning myself around to make my way up the stairs. I heard him shout one last farewell once I was at the top of our deck, but I didn't bother to turn around. I just waved my hand behind me and continued towards the backdoor that was already cracked open for me.

Edward was sitting on one of the bar stools about five feet from the door with his arms crossed in front of him.

"Good talk?"

Just as Garrett had predicted, my husband wasn't at all pleased, and he'd obviously been watching us. There was a tiny, itty-bitty, part of me that felt a bit smug over that realization.

"He was just making sure I was okay."

"I bet he was."

I rolled my eyes, and crossed my own arms to mirror his stance. "He's my friend, Edward, and your new employee for the next few weeks. So why don't you relax, and just listen to what I have to say without getting all territorial on me. He's well aware of the fact that you're always watching. You've made that abundantly clear."

He looked taken aback by my take charge attitude. For a moment I even noticed a hint of a smirk escape past his lips.

"Well, I'm glad he knows I'm always watching. Should I question, though, why that would even be a factor, in regards to his actions?"

I snickered a soft _'oh, shut it.'_ under my breath and snatched the blanket he was now holding out towards me to wrap it around my shivering body.

"Maybe next time you'll listen to me and put some clothes on before running off."

"Funny. Maybe this will be your last movie, so there won't be a next time."

He smirked again, stood up and made his way towards me, wrapping his arms around me as he kissed the top of my head.

"You never know. It could be."

"Don't feed me lines, Cullen. We both know you have a new love in your life that won't be breaking up with you anytime soon."

"I wouldn't give acting a second thought if you told me it was really making you unhappy. I need you to believe that, Bella."

I took in a deep breath and silently nodded my head, "I know you would. I want you to do what you love. You've given me that opportunity. You've given me everything I could ever dream of. The least I can do is support you, and be your biggest fan."

He pulled me in tighter and let out a loud sigh, "I never expected for any of this to happen to me… to us."

"I know that, too. That's why it's not completely difficult to accept. Do you think the twins and I would be able to come out and visit sometimes?"

He responded by instantly sweeping me up off my feet to cradle me in his arms so he'd be able to look me directly in the eyes. "Of course you can, and as often as you like!"

"You can call James and tell him you'll do the movie."

His smile doubled and he quickly placed it directly over my own lips.

"Thank you for believing in me."

"Don't be silly. You already knew I would say yes."

"No, I didn't know. I wouldn't have been upset at all, and I would have totally understood if you'd asked me to pass on it. Victoria is a hard pill to swallow."

I let out a soft laugh and nodded my head in agreement as he brushed back some of my hair from the side of my face.

"Yup, she is, but so was Jacob Black, and we managed to detox from that situation, too. Now you two are best buddies!" I teased back.

"I don't know if I'd call us best buddies, but he's certainly not as annoying as he used to be." With the completion of his sentence he slowly began walking us past the kitchen towards the hallway that would lead us to our bedroom.

"Where are you going?" I questioned with a smirk, thanks to having something else on my mind besides going straight to our bed and regular routine.

He looked down into my eyes with confusion clearly on his face, and I laughed, "We started something in your office earlier that I would really like to finish before we retire to our bedroom for the evening, Stalker." A true grin quickly replaced his perplexed expression, and he instantly turned us around to head in the opposite direction without saying another word.

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><p><strong>AN: So there you have it. Bella gave him the green light, which was the direction I was hoping most of you would choose when giving me feedback from the last chapter. So, thank you! I'm curious to hear what you're thinking now that some of the finer details have been mentioned. **

**Reviews make me happy, and as thanks, **

**reviewers will receive some Edward POV, (his thoughts while he watched Garrett and Bella talking down on the beach.) **

***wink***

**Thanks for reading! **


	15. Unbridled Beginnings

_Disclaimer: Twilight and its original characters belong to SM. Stalker, his Care Bear, Princess Bree, and the twins belong to me. No copyright infringement is intended with the posting of this story._

**A/N: Hi again! Thank you so much for all the feedback I received from the last chapter. If you reviewed and did not receive the outtake from Edwards POV, please drop me a PM. I'm fairly certain I got to everyone though. If you'd like to still receive the outtake, it's not too late to leave me your thoughts on what went down in chapter 14. **

**Major love, and lots of cookies and cupcakes go out to my amazing beta's, taylowendy, and myonlyheroin. I seriously don't know what I would do without those ladies! Any and all mistakes are due to my twitchy fingers during my final read through. **

**This chapter is a bit longer than the last few. There just wasn't a good place to break it up, so I left it as it was. Things are starting to happen… *wink***

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><p><strong>Unbridled Beginnings <strong>

**Chapter 15**

**~*~Bella~*~**

Two weeks had passed, and our new routine was now in full force. Bree had gone back to living with her mom and Tanya during the week. Edward was working from nine in the morning, until at least seven at night most days, and the twins were spending their afternoons with Mrs. Coupe, while I sat on the deck, or out in the guest house, working on my pieces for the show.

All in all, I really didn't have much to complain about. Life was good, and I was content.

Table reads would start next week for _Unbridled Nation_, Edward's newest film. Other than that, he hadn't mentioned anything else to me in regards to the movie or its schedule. I figured it was better to just leave it alone. If there was anything of importance to discuss, I knew without question he would fill me in.

The sun was starting to set over the ocean, signaling that it was time for me to head inside and start dinner. I was so close, though, to finishing my first major charcoal drawing that I was finding it nearly impossible to stand up and walk away from the canvas in front of me.

That's when a shadow appeared, and I realized I was no longer alone. Edward cleared his throat and kneeled down beside me to carefully stop my hand from moving.

"Sorry to interrupt, but I've been standing about three feet away for almost five minutes waiting for you to notice me. Not sure if my feelings should be hurt, or what?" he playfully teased.

"Really? I'm sorry. It's just that I'm so close to being finished with this one… It would be amazing if I could actually hand it over to James by the weekend. He's been on my case since last Monday."

"Well, I'm afraid he's going to have to wait a little bit longer." His face was so serious, I instantly assumed something was wrong, or that something terrible had happened.

"What? Why? What's happened? Is Bree okay?"

"No, I mean yes, Bree is fine."

I sat there, silently waiting for him to continue.

"Peter called, Smiths executive producer. They need me to fly out of state for the table reads, a few wardrobe fittings, and to attend a little get together with the rest of the cast. Victoria is stuck on location and can't get away. She was supposed to wrap this week with the other project she's been working on, but due to weather issues, that's just not going to happen. She's agreed to work overtime though, finish up what she needs to do with her re-shoots, and then get together with us at night when we need her."

_Super- duper._

"So, when do you have to leave?" This was not the kind of news I liked to receive on a Friday night, especially when I'd been looking forward to actually seeing my husband this weekend, and spending some quality time together as a family.

"Aside from the little cocktail party they have planned, I'll only be needed for two, possibly three nights, from nine at night until about one in the morning."

"Well, it seems stupid that they can't just wait another week to do lousy table reads, but I suppose the world is used to bending for Victoria Rachelle." I was now more than a little annoyed. "Again, when are you leaving?"

"Time is money and Smith doesn't want to risk getting behind schedule."

"God forbid."

Edward smirked, and then slowly reached his right hand out to tuck some of my loose hair gently behind my ear, "What if I told you he's sending me to New York?"

And now I wanted to punch him.

"I'm finding it ridiculously difficult to not hate you right now." I warned, after narrowing my eyes and crossing my arms in front of me.

"Give me a second! Give me a second! What if I told you… well, what if I told you I want you and the twins to come with me, and that we will be staying in the city for a few extra days, without me working, before heading back?"

"I'm sorry, what?! Are you seriously being serious right now? Why didn't you just start with that! I think I just fell in love with you all over again, Edward Cullen!" I was beyond excited and already looking around for my phone.

I wanted, no I _needed_, to call Charlie. I needed to let him know I would be coming home.

He'd been sending me single sentence E-mails for weeks simply requesting to see my face. I never knew how to respond, so I always just replied back with a quick, 'Soon, I promise.'

Now that I was _finally_ going to be able to keep that promise, I was almost giddy with excitement!

"Okay, good. I was worried you wouldn't want to upset the new routine you'd establish with Maddie and Aidan, now that Bree's been back with Jane during the week."

"Edward, _honey_, love of my life, I don't think there will ever be a time where I'd turn down a chance to go home for a few days." I toyed as I pulled his face down to firmly plant a kiss on his lips. He laughed against my mouth and ran his hands down the swell of my back to playfully squeeze my bottom with his opened palms.

"We leave tomorrow afternoon. I have to go call Garrett and tell him to pack a bag."

"What? Garrett's coming, too?" I'm not sure why this news surprised me. This would, after all, be a work related trip, so of course Edward's temporary assistant would be joining us.

"Yeah, I'll need him with me. I still have a lot of things I'm trying to take care of for Alice before handing her over to Emmett for the next few months."

I nodded my head in response, and watched him go after he'd taken his phone out from his back pocket before disappearing out the front door of the guest house.

My eyes scanned the canvas that was still on display in front of me. I leaned back to take in the image that my hand had created and felt my heart fill with happiness.

My right index finger slowly reached out to blend the area of Maddie's cheek bone that was pressed against her brother's face, where they were both sitting on the sand hugging one another. The ocean was behind them, and the sun setting on the horizon, with just a few birds flying in the distance. I pursed my lips to blow the excess bits of charcoal from Bree's hair; it was blowing in the wind, from where she stood above her brother and sister, looking out towards the water. There was a crooked grin on her face, and her hands were placed firmly at her hips where she'd tied a long piece of seaweed around her waist. I smiled to myself remembering her soft voice when she'd told me it was her magical 'mermaid belt'.

Fifteen minutes ago, I would have told you there was still more to be done, that it was far from being finished. But now… now I couldn't imagine it ever being more perfect.

* * *

><p>When we landed in New York, I was thrilled to see Charlie waiting for us inside the baggage claim. After immediately running into his arms, he laughed and pulled himself back to scan me from top to bottom – giving me his usual once over.<p>

"You've lost weight."

"What? No I haven't! Jesus! It's nice to see you, too, Charlie! Where's, Esme?" I asked, after placing my hands on my hips as soon as he'd released me from his grasp.

"You _have_ lost weight, and she's waiting for us at your place. Edward! Congrats, son! How's life on the other side of things? Still insane to think my son-in-law is a big time movie actor now! You're just taking the world by storm, aren't you?"

"Thanks, Charlie. It's been a wild few months, that's for sure." My husband humbly replied after sliding his arm around my hip to drawl me in closer to him. "Bella has been unbelievably supportive, I'm a lucky man."

"You certainly are!" I teased back, and then leaned in to kiss his cheek just as someone cleared their throat behind us.

"Oh! Charlie, this is Garrett. He's an artist by heart, but my assistant for the next few weeks."

"Right, right, you're the one doing the big show with, Bella. It's nice to finally meet you. Bells and I haven't spoken much lately, but when we have, she's always had nothing but nice things to say about you and your work, Garrett."

I couldn't help but smile after noticing Garrett's cheeks had turned a slight shade of pink as he'd extended his arm out to shake my biological father's hand.

"It's nice to meet you, sir. Bella is… well, it's been amazing to work alongside of her. She's shown me a lot, even though she refuses to take credit for it. I'm really looking forward to our exhibition. Hopefully you'll be able to make a trip out west for it?"

"Of course I will! I don't fly often, but I wouldn't miss seeing this girls stuff! Alright well, let's get you kids home. I'm sure you're dying to sit out on your balcony with a sketch pad in your lap, Bells."

I smiled and nodded my head, and then felt my grin raise itself as I looked around at the familiarity of my city and the hustling of people. This was home. This was where my heart would always be. It was ridiculous how long it had been since we'd been able to return. Now that I was here, I could barely stand the thought of having to once again leave it all behind at the end of the week.

Edward's lips were suddenly at my ear, "Welcome home, Care Bear." I felt the goose bumps on my arms instantly appear and leaned myself over to kiss him firmly on the lips.

After pressing my forehead against his, I brushed the side of his face with the back of my hand and looked him in the eyes, "Thank you, Stalker." He smiled and kissed me again before taking my hand from his face to lace his fingers between mine.

"I promise, as soon as I'm done with all the pre-production stuff, you will have my undivided attention for the rest of the week."

"And I will hold you to that promise." I challenged with a smirk as I bumped his hip with my own.

My heart was full.

I was in the city I loved, with the man I loved. My kids were here, and not trying to kill each other and I had my Charlie again.

Life was good, and I was happy.

* * *

><p>As it turned out, Edward figured it would be easier to just have Garrett stay with us at the penthouse while we were here in the city. He would return to L.A. Thursday morning, flying commercial, but my family and I would be staying in New York until late Sunday evening.<p>

After dinner, Esme had insisted on reading the kids their bedtime stories and putting them to bed. So, I'd taken advantage of my first real break by heading out onto my favorite balcony that overlooked Central Park. I'd just settled into the big cozy lounge chair where I'd spent many nights cuddled up, pregnant with the twins, when the door beside me slide open.

"Forget something?" Garrett asked, holding my art bag up in his hand.

I turned my head to look back out towards the cities night lights that were illuminated all around us and released a soft sigh from between my lips, "Nah, I was just going to enjoy the view this evening. I've missed these sights and sounds so much."

"It's pretty mesmerizing. I thought California had breathtaking views, but it's got nothing on New York. I can see why you love it here. It's easy to get lost, and not be noticed. Nothing at all like L.A."

I nodded my head, but said nothing. After turning myself around to glance inside, I noticed Edward pacing in the living room with his cell phone to his ear. "What's going on?"

"I'm not sure. He told me he didn't need me, so I figured I'd come bug you."

"You're not bugging me, but is there anything you need? Towels, extra pillows, blankets? I didn't even check the guest room before telling you where it was." I ran my hands through my hair to pull it out in front of my shoulders and then leaned back further into my chair to return to my more comfortable position once I'd realized Garrett wasn't going anywhere.

"Nope, I'm good. Your home is amazing, but I didn't really expect anything less. Bree's room is like a miniature version of Disney Land."

"Yeah, she was upset when she heard we were coming without her. Jane wouldn't let her join us, though. Which I totally get, it just seemed unfair, because she didn't understand the reasoning. They're trying to get things settled again, now that she and her wife have moved back to California. Unfortunately, it's taken longer than we'd all hoped. Bree has a hard time with routine changes."

Garrett let out a random laugh that caused me to look over into his grinning eyes. "Sorry, it's just still insane to me that Edward's ex is a full blown lesbian now."

I snickered and mumbled a quick, "I wouldn't say full-blown," under my breath, but Garrett, thankfully, didn't catch it. Just then, Edward appeared in the door way with an annoyed look on his face. For a moment I assumed it was over the fact that Garrett and I were out here alone talking.

"What's the matter?"

"Work. Nothing for you to worry about, baby. Same schedule, just different bullshit. Garrett, I won't need you for the rest of the evening, so you're free to head out and sightsee, or whatever. Enjoy what free time you have. I'm going to go work in my office for a bit, but I'll be done in about an hour. Promise." His eyes were on me now. I could tell there was more going on… he was just choosing to leave me in the dark. I nodded my head, though, and forced a smile as he leaned in to kiss the top of my head.

"It's nice seeing you out here. I hadn't realized how much I'd missed this place until we walked through the door. I can't wait to be able to just sit with you, and enjoy it."

I wasn't sure how to respond, because I knew he was well aware that I couldn't wait for that moment, either. He kissed me again and then turned to say goodnight to Garrett before heading back inside, leaving us both alone again.

Garrett stretched his arms back behind his head and then let out a huff, "He's got so much going on, it's crazy he's able to keep everything straight. I honestly don't know how he does it."

"Neither do I sometimes."

"You said it wasn't like this when you guys first met, right? Him working all the time, I mean."

I smirked and shook my head. "No, I mean his work has always been important to him. If it wasn't for his job bringing him out here to the city, we probably never would have met. So unfortunately, I owe a lot to that stupid agency. He was on a mission to become partner though; he was just an assistant, like you, when we first met. He got his first client, Victoria, a few weeks after we'd started dating. Shortly after that, he took James' title and became the youngest person in Hollywood to ever become partner at a widely reputable firm. It was pretty impressive actually, and a pretty big deal at the time."

"Nice. He's definitely good at what he does. It's not an easy job... handling so many different, and fragile personalities all at once."

"Nope, it's not, and I try to remind myself of that daily." I replied with another soft sigh following my words. "Him taking on two roles and being on the other side of things now... Well, it's just something we're all still trying to get used to. Once he's able to fully hand over his last two clients, things will hopefully settle down, and he won't seem so on edge."

It was silent for a few minutes after that, but neither of us moved to get up. We just sat and appreciated the view, while my head began spinning with all of the things I wanted to do before we'd head back to California.

"What time is it?"

Garrett leaned over and extended his arm out to show me his watch. It was just after eight thirty. It was still early, but too late to really go out, or head to my favorite night spot in the park. "Okay, I changed my mind. I want to draw."

He smiled and nodded his head, then lifted my bag up from beside his feet to hand it over to me. "I'll let you work. See you in the morning?"

"Yup, new day, new adventures." I noticed him pause at the door for a few seconds before sliding it open in front of him. There was obviously something else on his mind.

"Bella?"

_So predictable._

I raised my brow and crossed my arms in front of me, "Yes, Garrett?"

He laughed to himself and shook his head, "Never mind, I shouldn't risk crossing any boundaries. 'Till tomorrow, my lady." He shot me a wink from his eye, and then casually ran his hand through his hair before disappearing back inside, missing my own eye roll in response to his passive aggressive, maybe I should, maybe I shouldn't _behave_ ways.

Not saying anything after starting to say something was just as bad in my book, and I had a feeling he was well aware of that.

* * *

><p>Our time in New York was zipping by. With every day that passed, I could feel myself dreading our impending goodbyes... To be honest, it was making it almost impossible to really enjoy the time I did have here in the city I loved, and that had started to bother me this morning. It had become my mission to have a good time tonight. No matter what it would take, I was going to enjoy myself, even in the company of Victoria Rachelle.<p>

I was in the bathroom blow drying my hair in preparation of this evenings big 'work' related social gathering when Esme stuck her head in to shoot me a smile, "You look gorgeous, honey!"

"Ha, thanks! Now, if only Victoria wouldn't be standing beside me this evening, then maybe I could pull off this Hollywood glam look."

It was supposed to be a joke, but inside I was dead serious.

"Nonsense. She might have manufactured beauty, but she has nothing on you, Isabella. Don't let her get into your head. That woman is poison, plain and simple. If you let her think her venom has reached your veins, she will only go in for the kill. Don't you ever give her the satisfaction."

I forced a smile and let out a long sigh while nodding my head in agreement. "Are you sure you and Charlie are up for an overnight with the twins? They've been a handful lately."

"Yes! I'm actually very excited! Charlie's already over there working on the forts in the living room that we're going to camp out in."

I laughed and nodded my head, "Aidan will love that. Thank you so much for offering to watch them. It will be nice to sleep in tomorrow, because I'm sure I'll be in need of more than one or two drinks in order to put up with, _Vic_, and her minions."

"Whatever it takes, honey! We're all ready to head out; the town car is down stairs waiting for us. Why don't you come say goodbye to the kids, and we will get out of your way so you can finish getting ready."

I fluffed my hair out one last time with my hands, and then checked my reflection in the mirror. I'd put on a little more makeup than I was used to, but I had to give it to myself… I did look pretty unbelievable considering the fact that the twins had been up three hours early this morning, which was insane when you also considered the east coast time change.

"Wear the short black dress; the one with the lace, and eyelets down the center," Esme quickly prompted as we passed by the bed where I'd laid out three options for this evening's little get-together. "Edward's tongue will fall out of his mouth, and Victoria will instantly envy you that much more."

I giggled and nodded my head, since I'd been leaning towards that dress anyways.

The twins were already standing at the door with their little book bags resting on their backs and smiles plastered across their faces.

"Go to grandma and grandpas!" Maddie announced with a little hop off the ground. I nodded my head and bent down to take them both into my arms.

"Be good! Mommy loves you both very much. Did daddy say goodbye already?"

"Yes! And Gar-ferret!" my daughter exclaimed after snatching up her brothers hand. He stood there silently, rocking back and forth in front of me, his eyes staring down at my own feet, before leaning in to wrap his other arm gently over my shoulder for a soft hug.

"If you need anything, don't hesitate to call me. We'll only be at The Plaza, so not too far from you if anything does happen to come up." I told my mother-in-law.

"We will be fine. Enjoy your evening, honey! I've got everything under control."

I nodded my head, and then gave Madison and Aidan one last kiss at the top of their heads before opening the door to watch them head down the hallway with their fairy-grandmother.

After locking the door behind them, I made my way down the hall to pass by Edward's office and peek inside. He and Garrett looked to be going over something on their phones, so I didn't bother disturbing them. The moment I turned around, though, to head back into the master bedroom, I heard Edward call my name.

"Hey Care Bear, I swear I sensed you were nearby," he toyed with a grin, "almost ready?"

"Yup, just have to change into my dress. Give me five more minutes." I glanced at Garrett and found him staring at me with a wide eyed expression on his face. They were both already dressed and ready to walk out the door. I hurried myself and locked the bedroom door behind me before kicking my yoga pants across the room from my feet. I heard the doorbell ring and knew it was Jake and Leah, so I hurried up to slip into my dress, and then grabbed a pair of red heels from the closet before checking my reflection in the full length mirror.

"Well, this is as good as it's going to get." I smirked at the person who looked back at me, refusing to admit that I actually did look pretty hot, and then did a playful twirl as I turned to head out the door.

I could hear Jake and Edward laughing about something in the kitchen, but found Leah staring out the window in the corner of the living room.

"Hey! How are you? I'm so glad you guys could come tonight. Oh, my goodness! Look at your bump!" I reached out to touch her belly, and then quickly drew my hand back after remembering how much it bothered me to have people touch my own stomach back when I was pregnant. "Sorry! It's an impulse." I laughed and then extended my arms back out to give her a quick hug.

"It's okay. I'm getting used to it. Jake and my coworkers are always stealing a quick pat or belly rub." Her smile was sincere, but I could sense that there was something troubling her by the look in her eyes. She looked tired, but it was more than just that.

"Is everything okay?"

"Yeah… sorry just pregnancy hormones. It was a mission to find a dress that actually fit. I'm not going to lie, I'm pretty nervous about tonight. I've never been to a party filled with famous people before, and I'm feeling less than glamorous these days."

I smiled and scanned her outfit of choice. It was a simple cream colored dress, nothing fancy, but it highlighted her adorable baby belly, and hugged her otherwise perfect figure in all the right places.

"Don't be silly. You look great, and your fiancé is fairly famous himself, so this is something you should start getting used to." I teased, "Just try to not over think it and you'll be fine. Focus on having a good time with the man you love, and the people you enjoy. Don't worry about anything else. That's how I always manage to get through these types of things. How have you been feeling?"

"Good. Really good, actually. I haven't thrown up in over two weeks!" she replied with a soft laugh just as Edward, Jake and Garrett came into the room; all three of them looking dashing in their dark suits and dazzling smiles.

Edward had me in his arms before I could even offer a verbal hello to my ex. "Bella, you look unbelievable."

I giggled and tilted my head to the side as he pressed his lips to my cheek, since I'd already applied my red lipstick. "Thanks, your mom picked out the dress." I softly teased as I reached up to run my hands through his auburn hair. I locked eyes with Garrett for a moment after turning my head to find him starring in our direction.

"I guess you already met, Jake?"

"Yup, introductions have been done, and we are ready to hit the road. I'll call down to the car and have the driver pull around front." Garrett quickly replied before turning his back to us once he'd pressed his phone to his ear.

"Hey, Bells." Jake whispered after leaning in to give me a gentle hug once Edward had released me from his arms.

"You're looking mighty pretty this evening, Mr. Black."

"Yeah, well, it's not every day you get invited to a party thrown by a famous movie director," he teased back with a quick smirk.

"Alright, the cars ready when ever we're ready." My husband's assistant informed the rest of us, his eyes only on me. I felt my cheeks tingle and quickly found myself praying that my blushing complexion wasn't visible under all the makeup I had applied to my face. Edward placed his hand at my back and began walking us towards the door with Jake and Leah following closely behind us as we passed his Garrett… whose eyes were still set on me, and only me. I glared at him for a few brief seconds, narrowing my own stare, while hoping he would pick up on my nonverbal reprimand and snap out of it.

He'd been doing so well at behaving himself these last few weeks that his current actions had caught me completely off guard. Once in the elevator, I hugged myself against Edward's arm and leaned my head into his shoulder. I silently prayed we'd be able to get through the night without any major drama, but with Victoria's attendance guaranteed, I knew the chances of that happening were slim to none.

* * *

><p>When we arrived at The Plaza, an uptight gentleman with an English accent greeted us at the door of the SUV. He quickly escorted us inside past a few paparazzi camped out on the sidewalk shouting Edward and even Jake's name, and then he continued to walk us through the lobby towards the elevators that would take us up to Mr. Smith's suite.<p>

"You must have a special key card to get up to the top floor, so if you leave the suite you will need to stop at the front desk and request an escort in order to return to the party," the man informed us, while keeping his eyes glued on the closed elevator doors that were literally two inches from the tip of his nose. I looked up at Edward and bit my lip to keep myself from giggling.

Once the doors opened, I laced my fingers with Edwards and squeezed his hand tightly. It had been months since I'd had the displeasure of being in the same room with Victoria. Almost a good half a year... Her initial over the top greetings were the worst. They always felt like metal nails being driven into my skull and then hammered into my brain… repeatedly.

The door opened, and there she stood. It was almost as if she'd been standing there waiting for her damn cue.

"Isabella! Darling! My goodness! You look amazing! Peter! Look at her! Isn't she just the most _adorable_ thing you've ever seen!"

_Yup… nails… skull… sledgehammer… brain... BAM!_

I faked my best smile and clenched my eyes shut as she leaned in to kiss both of my cheeks. "Hello, Victoria. It's been a while."

"Yes! It really truly has been! Though I've been seeing plenty of your husband! My, my! I'm so proud of you for finally losing almost _all_ of that baby weight! You can hardly tell you carried two little babies in that belly of yours."

I clenched Edwards hand in mine and felt the hair on the back of my neck begin to stand up straight. He ran his thumb over the skin at the top of my own hand and swiftly increased his grasp. He was obviously trying to simmer my heightened aggravation over Victoria's opening lines, but it hadn't helped much.

"And here's my co-star! Edward Masen Cullen! You and I... We are without a doubt going to make serious waves with this film, my love! I'm honestly not sure Hollywood is ready for the magic we're going to create on the big screen together. The script is divine, isn't it? That table read last night! It was phenomenal! We had the entire room silenced! Am I not speaking the absolute truth, Peter?! Absolute perfection and we've barely even begun."

Peter looked about as enthralled with the conversation as I was. He was far too busy ogling Victoria's breasts, which were nearly pouring out of her low cut form fitting red dress, to have even processed a single word she'd actually said.

"It was a good read. The script is great, hopefully it stays that way." Edward eventually replied, once his red headed co-star had released him from her twig like arms.

I took a moment to scan the rest of the room and noticed it was actually fairly full, even though it had seemed dead silent when Victoria had basically verbally assaulted me at the door. I leaned myself back into Edward and he quickly began running his hand up and down my back while we watched Victoria start up a seemingly polite conversation with Jake and his fiancé.

Garrett was on his phone over by the bar, but he was still keeping a close eye on Edward and I.

"Come meet Smith."

I nodded my head and ran my hand nervously through my hair as we began crossing the crowded room. As I said before, I've always hated these initial introductions, especially with new people in the biz. These were the types of hello's that rarely seemed sincere. They also usually ended with me silently excusing myself after Edward would get stuck in some type of a conversation that was impossible for me to follow.

"Cullen! You made it! This must be, Bella. Well, now I understand your need for family housing while we're on location. I wouldn't be able to leave a woman like this behind either."

I smiled and felt my cheeks flush once again. Smith was a short, stalky man, with an obvious receding hair line that he liked to hide with a terrible comb-over. He was pleasant enough, though, so I could appreciate that… for now.

"Edward mentioned that you're a NYC native. Rare breed you are, indeed! Have you been enjoying your time being back in the city?"

"I have been. Thank you for having us over this evening. It's always nice to meet and see the people my husband will be working with."

I was lying, but only Edward would know that.

"Of course, of course! I like to put together a little something before we really get to work. I've found, over the years, that people who get to know each other outside of work always seem to work better while at work."

I nodded my head and randomly found myself wishing I had a drink in my hand.

"Mrs. Cullen, a vodka and cranberry for you, and gin and tonic for, Mr. Cullen."

Garrett handed me my glass, and then extended one out towards my husband with a smug smile on his face.

Okay, so he really was good at this assistant stuff.

I smirked and took it from him, and then quickly took a sip from its rim.

And then another… and another; all without ever taking my eyes off of the glass in my hand.

"So Edward, about those script changes. I was thinking if we could extend that scene that runs into…"

And that was my cue to go find Jake, and Leah.

"Jesus, this suite is amazing! I feel like I'm at a palace or something." Leah whispered after I'd walked up to join her and my ex beside the grand piano in the corner of the room.

"Yup, pretty swanky."

"Crazy how much things have changed for us, huh? To think it was just over three years ago when we lived in that tiny one bedroom, rat infested, apartment eating Ramen noodles most nights; and now we're going to things like this?"

I laughed nervously and nodded my head. I always felt guilty, though, when Jake would bring up our past in front of Leah. I knew it had to be slightly awkward for her, and I didn't want her to ever feel out of place when I was around, so I quickly changed the subject.

"Do you guys want to go to the park tomorrow with me and the kids?"

"I'd love to, but Jake has to be at the studio by noon."

"Then just us. It will be fun." I promised her, just after Garrett had appeared beside us.

"Quite the party. Did you see James is here?"

"What?! Ugh, no. I've been avoiding him back home, which I'm sure he's picked up on. Edward didn't tell me he was coming tonight."

"I don't think Edward knew he'd be here. He's looking for you, though. James, I mean. I figured you could use a heads up." Garrett quickly shared after taking a sip from his own drink. "Well, enjoy the party."

I instantly reached out to grab his arm with my hand and then pulled him back beside me, "Don't you dare leave me, especially with that shark swimming around."

Garrett smiled and nodded his head, "As you wish, Mrs. Cullen."

"And stop with the Mrs. Cullen crap. I'm your _friend_, not your _employer_."

He smirked again and glanced down at my nearly empty glass, "Let me get you a refill. Can I get you two anything as well?"

"No, thanks. We're good." Jake instantly replied, for both him and his fiancé.

After Garrett was gone, my ex cleared his throat bringing my attention back to our tiny circle. My eyes had drifted across the room to where Victoria and Edward were now chatting it up with another man and woman I didn't know, so I was thankful for the interruption.

"You two are pretty chummy, huh?"

"Garrett and I? I guess. I mean, we've been hanging out a lot, drawing and stuff. He's an amazing artist, and he's actually taught me a lot. He's also been Alice's little tag along buddy whenever she's come over to hang out during the last few months. So yeah, I guess you could say we've become pretty good friends."

"And he and Edward get along okay?" Jake questioned, his eyes obviously still set on Garrett who was standing at the bar about twenty feet away from us now.

"Well enough that he gave him a job which requires him to pretty much be his shadow sixty hours a week." I knew what Jake was poking at, and I wasn't about to flame and then fan those thoughts for him.

"Bella, can you help me find the bathroom?" Leah suddenly requested after she'd placed her hand over my forearm.

I quickly agreed and told Jake we'd be right back. That's when the sound of Vic's high pitched cackle came torpedoing from across the room, promptly causing me to grimace and then firmly close my eyes. "Please tell Garrett to add another shot of vodka to my drink, I'm going to need it."

When I opened my eyes again, Jake was smirking and shaking his head, "Pace yourself, Bells."

I shot him a sarcastic thumbs up, and then turned to join Leah where she was now waiting for me a few feet away.

Before heading into the hallway, where I assumed we would find a bathroom, I glanced one more time to the corner of the room where my husband was still conversing with my nemesis and their fellow Hollywood elite. She was holding onto his arm now, and playfully leaning her head onto his shoulder while he remained focused on the story he was sharing with the other two people that were standing with them.

I felt my blood pressure skyrocket and dug my fingernails further into my palms.

"Come on, Bella. I really need to pee." Leah warned. She'd obviously noticed where my eyes had wondered over to.

"I refuse to let her get under my skin, but how the hell can he not realize how inappropriate her behavior is?! How can he just stand there and act like… like… he's totally comfortable with it, and they're BFF's or something?!"

"Well, I think it's my turn to tell you that it's your turn to not over think things, sweetie."

I looked over at her, confused by what she was saying. "That's what you told me… before we left your place…. when I was worried about fitting in tonight; you told me to not over think things, and to just have a good time, and not worry about anyone else. Remember?"

I frowned and crossed my arms in front of my chest, not really ready to admit she was right, and that I probably was over-reacting.

"Let's use the bathroom and get you that drink." Leah suggested with a forced smile. I let out a huff and walked ahead of her to open the door for the both of us.

She disappeared into the separate part of the room that housed the toilet and I began touching up my lip stick at the mirror while I waited for her to finish.

"So, have you guys decided if you'll find out the gender of the baby ahead of time?"

"No," Leah frowned, after stepping up beside me. "I really want to, but Jake is being a butt about it all of the sudden. He likes the idea of it being a surprise."

"Jake's really good at being a butt sometimes." I replied with a laugh, and then offered her a towel to dry her hands after she'd cleaned them at the sink.

"Yup, this is true."

The tone of her response caused me to look up at her, "Is everything okay? With the two of you, I mean." I really didn't need another relationship to worry about, but I had to ask.

"Yeah, we're good. It's just with the move getting closer, I guess it's all becoming more real, but we're fine, really. Come on, let's get back in there and give Victoria a run for her money!"

I grinned and nodded my head, then took her hand in mine to lead us back out into the main room where everyone was still mingling and judging each other from a distance from behind their cocktail glasses.

I rolled my eyes after realizing we would have to walk right past Victoria, who had started up a new conversation, without my husband standing beside her to lean onto.

"Well, you know, Edward and I will have to share a pretty intense kiss for one of the scenes, and while it's no secret that I've been a distant admirer of his for quite some time, our first go at it late last night was pretty adorably awkward." Victoria crowed, loud enough for me to catch just as Leah and I walked by.

The man she was standing beside chuckled and loudly offered his two cents, "Well, that just means you'll both need to practice some more, which we all know you won't mind one bit, Vic!"

Leah increased her grasp on my hand and pulled me to continue walking… instead of letting me stop to yank some red extensions from a particular actresses' scalp.

"Jake, Bella needs a shot, like now." Leah instructed her fiancé. He looked at us, seemingly confused, but didn't question her on the reasoning behind my sudden need for a much stronger drink.

"Everything okay?" Garrett asked, after following the death stare I was sending across the room with my narrowed eyes.

"They rehearsed the kiss yesterday? Why the hell would they do that at a stupid table read?!" I grumbled, more to myself than to anyone else. I gulped back the entire drink he'd been holding for me, and then handed him the empty glass.

"Oh, you found out about that."

I instantly shoved him with my free hand, "Yeah, I did! Where's Edward? I need to talk to him."

"Relax, Bella. It was a disaster. He literally escaped to the bathroom to gargle some Listerine the second Smith dismissed them."

Jake returned with the shot of vodka in a regular size glass and smirked at me, "Apparently, this isn't the type of party where shots would usually be thrown back."

I rolled my eye and snatched the glass cup from his hand. His timing couldn't have been more perfect because the moment I brought it to my lips, Edward finally reappeared from the outside patio. Our eyes locked just as I'd swallowed the warm clear liquid down into my belly.

His gleaming expression instantly fell, and he immediately began walking our way.

"Oh boy, here we go."

"Shut it, Garrett."

Once he was standing within our circle, Edward scanned our faces until finally stopping on mine, "Hey, I was looking for you."

No one said anything, including myself, so it made things rather awkward, but I was determined to insist everything was fine, because Garrett and Leah were right, I needed to relax. The last thing I wanted to do was cause a scene. Victoria would revel in that, and gossip would quickly follow.

"I went to the bathroom with Leah." I finally mumbled after Jake had nervously cleared his throat. Edward raised his brow and gently took me by the arm to pull me to the side, away from everyone else.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong. I'm fine."

"Bella?"

"I said I'm fine. You can go back to working the room and doing your thing."

He frowned again and pulled me in up against him to place a gentle kiss upon my lips. "You know you're the only person I want to do my thing with."

I rolled my eyes and draped my arms over his shoulders, "You didn't tell me you had to rehearse the kiss with Victoria." I finally whispered, once he'd pressed his forehead against mine.

"Because, then I would have had to talk about it, which would have made me think about it, and then re-live it in my head, and that's honestly the last thing I wanted to do last night, or today. You knew we would have to, so I figured I would spare you the mental images that I knew it would conjure up."

I looked up into his eyes and felt my defenses slowly retreat, "It was awful?"

"Like kissing a plate of lukewarm spaghetti."

I laughed and grabbed his face to bring his mouth against mine, praying that Victoria would look over at just the right moment to see what a real kiss looked like with my man.

"Now, why don't you slow down on the alcohol in-take. I know we have the morning off, but let's leave the real partying for when we get home tonight," he suggested with a playful wink. "We don't have to stay much longer. Give me another hour or so, and then we can head out and have a more relaxed evening with our real friends back at our place."

My legs shifted my weight back and forth and I nodded my head, eventually agreeing with him.

"I'll be good, promise." I assured him, with a bashful smirk. He laughed softly and then leaned in to kiss me once more before releasing me from his arms. I watched him go and then turned to join the rest of the outcast crew back beside the piano. Leah was missing, but Garrett and Jake were still there, both of them already looking directly at me after I'd turned to find them.

"Well, that seemed to go fairly well." Garrett teased, his eyes scanning my body up and down as I'd stepped up to take my place between the two of them.

"Edward's always been good at _simmering_ Bella down when she gets worked up about something."

I glared at Jake and rolled my eyes, "No, there's just no reason to stay mad."

"And I'm sure it also helps that he can do no wrong in your eyes... like, ever." My ex carefully mumbled before taking another sip from his drink.

I wasn't sure where all this sudden animosity was coming from, but I was glad that Leah wasn't here to witness it. After glancing at Garrett, he seemed just as dumbfounded.

"Okay, well, let's make the best of the next hour because then we can head back to our place and just be normal people."

"I'll have to see if Leah's up to hanging out late." His tone was flat and his expression blank.

I narrowed my eyes and crossed my arms in front of me, "What's up, Jake?"

"Nothing is up, Bella… Just making observations, and stating facts."

Leah returned just then, and thankfully that seemed to instantly squash our conversation. I certainly hadn't missed the look on my ex's face, though, when he'd looked directly into my eyes and lied while trying to tell me nothing was up.

Something was obviously up, but if he wasn't willing to communicate it with me, then I wasn't going to feed in to his manipulative behavior. All I wanted now was for the next hour to zip by. The sooner we could all get out of here, the better.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Soooooo, I'd love to hear your theories on what's crawled up Jake's ass, and whether or not Leah is being truthful about everything being good in their relationship. I know Edward was a little preoccupied in this chapter, but keep in mind; he has to juggle a lot right now. Lastly, how are we feeling about the return of the red headed she-devil? **

**Next chapter is half way complete so it should be about a week until I update again.**

**I have a rec for you guys! One of my beta's, myonlyheroin, has written an amazing vamp fic titled, The Missing. If you're looking for something new to read that's ****complete****, and a fabulous, then you will definitely want to check it out! **

**~~~~Reviews make me smile!~~~~**


	16. Turbulent Charades

_Disclaimer: Twilight and its original characters belong to SM. Stalker, his Care Bear, Princess Bree, and the twins belong to me. No copyright infringement is intended with the posting of this story_.

**A/N: Back a day early! This is probably the shortest chapter I've ever written in the history of my fic writing, but it seemed like the perfect place to stop… so I did. Major love to my beta's, myonlyheroin, and taylowendy. I'm a lucky lucky story teller, to have them by my side! Any and all mistakes are a result of my own twitchy fingers during the final read through. **

* * *

><p><strong>Turbulent Charades <strong>

**Chapter 16**

**~*~Bella~*~**

_Tic-tock-tic-tock_

Yup, my eyes had become very well acquainted with the antique looking grandfather clock in the far left corner of the room. We were nearing the magic hour, but Edward didn't seem all that concerned about the time, which had started to frustrate me. I'd stood with him, off and on, for as long as I could stomach the one-sided conversations, but eventually I'd always end up back with Jake and Leah.

And that's who I was now in search of.

Unfortunately, it seemed as though they had both vanished. I checked the kitchen area, the foyer, both bedrooms… one of which was locked, but I couldn't imagine they would have escaped into there, and then finally the two bathrooms.

They were nowhere.

While on my way out of the last bathroom, I pulled my phone out from my clutch and checked it for messages or missed calls.

Nothing.

"Super."

"Lose something, Bella?"

The sound of his voice sent a chill down my spine, and my eyes instantly sealed shut. I took in a deep breath, and then silently exhaled before opening them again to turn around and face James. We were all alone in the long hallway I'd now paced several times. Apparently, he'd just stepped out of the second bedroom… the room that had been locked.

"Hello, James. I was just looking for my friends."

"Your ex? I believe I saw him out on the terrace with his pregnant girlfriend not too long ago."

"She's his fiancée, and weren't you just locked away in one of the bedrooms?" I carefully questioned, raising my brow in anticipation of his response. "How could you have seen them out on the terrace '_not too long ago'_?"

He smirked and slowly wagged his finger at me, "I didn't realize you were keeping track of my whereabouts, Bella. That must be how you've been able to avoid me all evening."

I rolled my eyes and shook my head, "I'm just aware of my surroundings."

"And yet you can't find the two people you've spent most of the evening with."

I forced a smile and shrugged my shoulders, "Stranger things have happened."

"You owe me three more canvases, my dear."

Without warning, he took a step towards me, instantly causing me to take my own brash step backwards. It was so sudden that I almost fell backwards into the tall glass table resting against the wall behind me, but he reached out just in time to grab onto my arm and pull me back upright.

"Isabella! Please be careful! Your husband would have my head if you got hurt under my watchful eye."

I snatched my arm from his grasp and squared my shoulders after regaining my composure. "I'm _fine_, and I actually have three more pieces finished. I'll have Edward bring them to you as soon as we get back in town."

"Well, alright then. Have a good night… after all, Edward certainly is. In fact, he's the life of the party. Why don't you at least try meeting him half way and pretend you're having a nice time." With his final obnoxious statement, he finally began walking past me. I felt my anxiety quickly begin to subside, until he abruptly stopped causing me to almost bump right into the back of him. "Oh, by the way, how has our Garrett been these last few days?"

His question seemed extremely random, but I knew there was a purpose behind it. "I haven't really seen him much, to be totally honest. When he's not working with Edward, he's been going out and doing tourist stuff on his own. Why?"

"I guess you've missed the big scandal making its rounds on the web then?"

"You know I try to avoid those types of stories. They're usually riddled with absolute lies."

"Oh, if only that were the case this time. I told Maggie to behave, but you know that girl never listens when her fleeting heart is involved."

I was becoming more and more annoyed with the conversation. This was what James did. He would lead you to water, but then demand you ask for permission before taking a sip. I refused to play his game.

"Whatever it is that you're talking about, it's hardly any of my business. Or yours for that matter. Now, if you'll excuse me."

He quickly began walking after me, apparently refusing to let me just end the conversation and escape his insufferable gossiping mouth.

"Well, I suppose you're right. If Garrett wanted you to know, I'm sure he would have told you himself. I just figured since the two of you had become so close, that you would have been the first person he'd turn to for advice... _or_ a shoulder to cry on."

I found myself once again rolling my eyes and then shook my head, "Nope. He hasn't said a word. Goodnight, James." Once we were back in the main room, I scanned my surroundings and finally spotted Jake and Leah out on the terrace, just as James had mentioned.

My red heels had almost gotten me to the glass door that would take me outside when I realized they looked to be having a fairly heated conversation. I pulled my hand away from the handle and slowly took a step backwards. I wasn't about to walk out in the middle of them having an argument, so I turned myself around and headed back to the same corner I'd spent the majority of the night standing with a drink in my hand.

I heard a familiar cackle and looked over to find Victoria once again standing beside Edward. He seemed to be busy on his phone, and not at all engaged in the conversation that was taking place. Thankfully, this time, the red-headed she-devil was busy leaning herself into Peter, who was back to ogling her breasts. I smirked and shook my head, and then allowed my eyes to wonder elsewhere. Garrett was on the other side of the room sitting alone on a sofa with his phone out in his hand. He looked to be texting with someone, and tuned out from the rest of the world around him.

I was fairly certain Maggie had been caught cheating. It's what she did. She starts a new movie, meets a new costar, and then a new whirlwind romance would instantly begin. It's why I didn't want her digging her flighty claws into my friend in the first place, but it was never my place to say anything. I knew eventually Garrett would figure it out. Honestly, I was just glad it happened sooner, rather than later.

He looked up, catching me watching him, and smiled after lifting his fingers up from the screen of his phone to offer a short wave. I returned the smile, feeling badly for him, and then gestured with a nod from my head for him to come join me.

"Fun night, huh?"

"Having a blast. At least you're getting paid to be here." I snickered, after casually crossing my arms in front of me.

"Tis true! Which is good, because I need all the money I can get now."

I let out a rushed breath and shook my head, understanding the situation he was now in. "James kind of hinted something was up with you and Maggie. I guess you need a new place to stay, huh?" I wasn't going to ask about the details, because I was sure he'd rather not discuss the uglier more personal side of his predicament.

"Yeah, looks that way. She's still filming for another few weeks, so she said there's no rush, but I'd rather not stay someplace that's going to remind me of her. That just seems… twisted."

I flinched, thanks to the memories that came flooding back, reminding me of what it had been like to live in the apartment Jake and I had shared after we'd broken up and he'd left me behind to go off on tour. That's when I realized that maybe Garrett had fallen for Maggie a little harder than I had thought, and I instantly found my heart hurting for him.

"You'll figure something out."

He forced a smile and nodded his head after leaning himself beside me against the wall, "I always do."

I impulsively checked the clock in the corner of the room and saw that it was now well past our departure time.

"Everything okay with your friends?"

I looked back at Garrett and found his own stare set on the scene still going on outside.

"No clue. They've both been weird all night. I'm staying out of it. I asked once, and she said she was fine… just pregnancy hormones."

"Well, those hormones must be kicking her ass all of the sudden, because she sure doesn't look fine."

I glanced out towards the terrace and felt my heart plummet over the sight of Jake's fiancée in tears. My ex was standing a few feet away from her, staring off in the complete opposite direction as if he were contemplating jumping from the balcony.

"Well, crap."

Of course other guests had also seemed to notice.

A few even had their cell phones out to casually snap a picture or shoot some video.

Seeing that was enough to push me over the edge. Now there was something I needed to take care of before interrupting the apparent soap opera that was going on outside.

I clenched my fists and motioned with a nod of my head for Garrett to follow me. Casually, I began walking towards two women with their phones out. They were whispering and giggling together while snapping away to capture their own shots, which I was sure they would try to sell to some tabloid before they'd even left the party tonight. "Garrett, can you call the driver and have him bring the car around. Edward can stay if he wants, but I need to get Jake and Leah out of here." He nodded his head without saying a word, and then quickly got out his phone to do as I had asked.

"Excuse me… can I see those for a moment?" The two women, who had been not-so-secretly using their phones to capture the scene taking place outside, looked completely taken aback by my random request. I quickly snatched their phones from their hands and then reached over to purposely drop them into a massive glass vase filled with water and tiny white and yellow flowers.

"What the hell?!" One of them instantly yelped, sounding as though I'd just severed her right hand from her wrist. She swiftly began tossing the flowers from the vase to retrieve the phones and then shook them out at her sides looking as though she were having a mini seizure.

"Maybe next time you'll mind your damn business." I quietly replied, with an easy smirk escaping past my lips as I brushed my hands off in front of me.

"You crazy bitch!"

"Sticks and stones, honey. Enjoy the rest of the party, but don't you dare let me catch you doing that again, or next time I'll throw them from the balcony."

After that, I took in a deep breath and carefully made my way outside. Leah was still crying, almost hysterically, and Jake looked completely immune to it all. If I hadn't already made a scene inside, I probably would have walked up and smacked him in the head.

"What in the world is going on out here?" I placed my arm over Leah's shoulders and glared in Jake's direction.

"She's being ridiculous. She just needs a minute."

"Jacob! She's hysterical, and half the people inside have noticed."

"She's always hysterical these days, and it's not my fault that there are a bunch of assholes in the other room who get off on other peoples misery!"

"Misery? So now I make you miserable?! Nothing is ever your fault! It's always me, isn't it?" Leah quickly shouted back after brashly shrugging my arm away from her. "Bella, I'm sorry, you've always been nothing but absolutely kind to me, but I can't do this anymore."

"You can't do… wh-what?" I was so confused. My eyes jetted back and forth between their two faces while I waited for one of them to offer up some type of an explanation, but nothing came.

"Someone needs to say something, because I'm at a complete loss here."

Leah let out a frustrated yelp after wiping her eyes clear of their tears, and then threw her hands up in the air, "I'm done. Can we please go? I'm starting to feel like a stupid fish in a goddamn aquarium." I turned to glance behind me and quickly noticed that we'd now captured the attention of most of the room. Edward was trying to get past the two women whose phones I'd successfully drowned, but they were obviously having their own little temper tantrum inside and he was apparently getting the brunt of it.

"Garrett's already called down for the car." I softly told them, and then redirected my attention back onto Jake. He'd of course gone back to avoiding the entire scene. By this time, I literally wanted to shove him off the balcony myself. I had no idea what their fight was about, but that didn't even matter anymore. You just don't let your pregnant fiancé have a total melt down in public and act like all is right in the world.

I heard the door open and turned to see Garrett and Edward come outside. Both of their faces were full of concern, but neither of them seemed to know what to say.

"We need to get her out of here. Is the car ready?" I asked Garrett, looking right past my stunned husband.

"Yeah, let me go around and unlock the door that leads outside from the master suite. We can go in that way and just walk down the hall right out the door. Then, we won't have to pass everyone. I went ahead and told the driver to pull around to the service entrance, so we can attempt to avoid any papz."

I had to admit, I was impressed. I watched Garrett hurry back inside and turned to look at my husband, who still looked absolutely confused... and more than annoyed.

"Um… Can someone please tell me what the hell happened?"

Neither of them said anything, so I just shrugged and shook my head. When Garrett reappeared at the side door, I quickly took Leah by the elbow to guide her out and then nodded my head for Edward to usher Jake behind us. "We have to move fast. I'm sure word has already traveled downstairs that we are leaving." I gently whispered. Leah just looked straight ahead and offered me nothing. I took in a deep breath and increased our speed as we neared the front door of the suite.

_So much for a drama free night. _

Once we were all at the elevator, Edward jumped on his phone and sent someone a quick text and then opened up his email. He was pissed. I knew when Edward was mad, because he always went silent and started looking for distractions on an electronic device. I felt like I was in the Twilight zone. Before we'd left for the party tonight I'd dreaded the fact that drama would indeed be possible this evening, but I'd never thought I'd be on the outside looking in at it.

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><p>When we got to Jake's place, Edward quickly pushed the SUV's door open, and then held it in place for our friends to get out. Leah rushed passed him and headed straight into the building without saying a word to any of us. I followed behind her, but stopped once I'd reached the door.<p>

When I turned around I almost ran right into Jacob. "Look Bella, I'm sorry. I know Edward is ticked, but you have to believe me when I say I had no idea she was going to lose it like that."

"What the hell happened?"

Jake shook his head and carefully redirected his eyes to avoid mine, "Things have been… weird for a few weeks. It's a lot of stuff, not just one thing. I'm not perfect and I guess she's finally realizing that."

"Jacob Black, did you cheat on her?!"

"No! I didn't, nor would I ever. Believe it or not, I've learned a few things from my past, and I would never do that to her."

I let out a sigh and dropped my arms at my sides, feeling extremely exhausted all of the sudden; "You guys need to work this out before you leave for California next week."

"Thanks, because I hadn't thought of that, Bells."

Edward was still standing outside of the SUV, talking quietly with Garrett who was sitting in the front passenger seat with the door open.

"Look, I'm sure you remember some of my own pregnancy meltdowns. They happen. I know she loves you, so whatever it is, you guys can fix it and come out stronger than ever, but you have to talk about it. She needs you to not walk away. You have to be strong for her, and fight for what you have. Show her it matters to you, Jake. That's what she needs to hear. You can't just shut down when problems start to knock on your door. You have to justify her feelings and… react."

He shook his head side to side and shoved his hands into his pockets, "I know that, but it's hard to change who I am. You don't think I've beat myself up over the way I treated you three years ago and how my actions lead you to find something… someone, better? I'm well aware of my flaws when it comes to relationships and my inability to communicate. I'm just not wired for this conflict stuff."

"Stop it. Don't make excuses. Make changes. When you love someone, you do whatever it takes to be the person they need you to be when things in life start to pull your relationship under."

Jake let out a huff and eventually nodded his head. I knew better than to think it would be an overnight transformation, but I had to believe he would at least make an effort to start listening to what was truly bothering the mother of his child. I also knew there was more going on, and I'd known that for a while, because I'd started to notice changes when they had come out to California for the twin's birthday months ago.

"Go upstairs. Listen and talk. Tell her she matters… that your future together matters. I'll be in town until Sunday if you guys need anything, but I suggest you make _her_ your priority while you're still here. Just be good to her, Jake. She's carrying your baby. With so much going on right now, and so much changing, she needs to hear that she will always be the most important thing in your life, no matter what."

He snorted and looked over my shoulder towards Edward and Garrett. "Are you sure this isn't more of a pep talk for you, than me?"

I narrowed my eyes and crossed my arms in front of my body again, "What's that supposed to mean?"

Jake smirked and shrugged his shoulders.

"You know what, forget it. Keep your stupid _'observations'_ to yourself. I don't even know why I bothered. Good night, Jacob."

"Good night, Bella."

I let out an exasperated huff and gave him a quick shove with both of my hands, sending him backwards a few steps before turning myself around to storm off.

On my way back to the SUV I realized that Edward had unfortunately observed the physical portion of our confrontation, but I wasn't in the mood to explain.

"What was that about?"

"Just Jake, being good old Jake. Let's go." He looked past me with his eyes narrowed and his nostrils flaring. I quickly grabbed his arm to bring him with me, "It's not worth it. I shouldn't have even tried. Let him figure it out on his own, because I'm done."

I could tell Edward was still more than annoyed with the way our evening had ended; and that it had been at the hand of Jake and the sudden return of his old arrogant ways. I didn't know what to tell him, though, or how to make it better. Jake would never be completely cured of his ass-isms. It was something I'd always kept in the back of my mind; it was just unfortunate that they were once again beginning to shine like an obnoxious neon sign a week before he would be moving in with us.

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><p><strong>AN: Yup, that's where I'm leaving you. I'm hoping for another quick turn around to get the next chapter up. Thoughts on the old Jake possibly making a comeback, and what's really going on with Leah? Why the sudden breakdown at such an exclusive social event? Poor Garrett, out on the streets again, and James sure knows how to push buttons doesn't he? I know a lot of you are probably still pretty annoyed with Edward in this chapter. I promise, promise, promise, not all was as it seemed during the party. He will make it up to you, and Bella, in the next update. Pinky swear!**

***Reviews make me smile, and as thanks for your thoughts,**

**I'll reply back and share a bit of EPOV from the end of this chapter.***

***wink***

**Thanks for reading!**


	17. Re-Beginnings

_Disclaimer: Twilight and its original characters belong to SM. Stalker, his Care Bear, Princess Bree, and the twins belong to me. No copyright infringement is intended with the posting of this story._

**A/N: Happy Friday! This chapter is a little longer than the last few have been, andddd it's rated M for a reason, *wink*. Major thanks, and lots of virtual hugs to my beta, myonlyheroin. If you still haven't checked out her completed E/B vamp fic, The Missing, you're seriously missing out. Before we get started; A few people left guest reviews for the last chapter, which made it impossible for me to send you the outtake. If you were one of those people please drop me a PM. Okay, let's get to it!**

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><p><strong>Re-Beginnings <strong>

**Chapter 17**

**~~*Bella*~~**

I could feel my phone buzzing over and over again from where it was stored, which was inside my clutch, resting on my lap. I wasn't in the mood to deal with anyone, and I certainly didn't want to risk it being Jake trying to reach out and apologize for being an utter and total asshole.

Edward had his arm around me, holding me closely up against him in the back seat, while Garrett typed away on his phone's screen from the passenger seat in front of us. I wasn't paying much attention to their conversation, but I'd heard my husband direct his _assistant_ to check all the major gossip outlets for any mentions of his, or Jake's name.

"Nothing yet, but you did just get an email from someone with ET. He's asking for an official statement in regards to your sudden departure that required you to sneak out the service exit with an unidentified female."

I let out an impulsive snort, and rolled my eyes over the twisted story that was already beginning to roll out.

So pathetic and such blatant reaching.

Never mind the fact that I had also been there, as well as Garrett and Jake. Those minor details didn't matter.

This was how bullshit started. They'd get one fact, and then decorate it with obscene amounts of made up glittery 'truths' before sprinkling it with a super-secret 'source' that would inevitably spin a juicier story, thus getting the 'reputable' outlets more hits on their slimy 'news' sites.

"Oh Jesus, of _course_ there was an unidentified female. Set them straight as to who was ALL there and confirm that we did leave, together as a group. Nothing else needs to be said at this time."

"Shit, now one just came in asking about Bella assaulting those two nosey bitches with cell phones."

My mouth dropped opened and I instantly felt as though all the oxygen in the car had been sucked out the window. "Assault? I didn't even touch them!" I furiously exclaimed, almost jumping out of my seat. I was now back to seeing red and my finger nails were once again digging into my fisted palms.

Edward held me down, and then reached up to squeeze my shoulders with his hands to try and control the unsettling amount of anger that I was now experiencing. "Relax, Bella. I'll take care of it all in the morning. Ignore that email for now, Garrett. I got the wannabe paparazzi's contact information before we had to leave. I'll send it to you now. You can notify them and let them know they will be well compensated for the cost of their phones, but _not_ if they're selling bullshit lies to the media."

I anxiously shifted my weight in our shared seat and let out another frustrated sigh. If I'd only taken a few seconds to actually think before acting, then maybe this so called story wouldn't have been given the opportunity to spin so far out of control.

After all, it hadn't been my problem to begin with.

I _hadn't_ been the one out on the stupid terrace crying my eyes out and hyperventilating.

I_ hadn't_ been the one ignoring someone in need as though I were deaf, blind, and mute.

In fact, I'd gone above and beyond in order to prevent any drama that could be directly traced back to me.

All it had taken were a few split seconds, though, and I'd apparently managed to totally sabotage myself, and now Edward, too.

"Bella, please baby, relax. Your leg shaking is vibrating the entire car. This isn't a big story. Don't worry about it, I mean it. I can absolutely handle this, especially once the videos surface,"

I whipped my head around and narrowed my eyes, "What videos?"

"You know just as well as I do, that regardless of your valiant efforts, someone got it all on video, and it will be leaked before the sun rises in the morning. The truth will come out that this is Jake's problem, not ours. We were simply trying to help them out of an awkward situation, and being good friends. Once that gets out, he will have to deal with it with his own PR team, not mine."

I frowned, realizing he was absolutely right.

By morning we would be forgotten, and Jake really would be on his own.

The rest of the drive was quiet, but I appreciated the fact that Edward had chosen to stay off his phone. He'd instead instructed Garrett to deal with the emails and texts that were coming in, so that he'd be able to keep me in his arms.

Never once did he let me go, and I appreciated that more than anything right now.

As we exited the car and began walking up to our building, I bit nervously at my bottom lip, and then let out a huff, "I'm sorry you didn't get a chance to say goodbye to everyone… and that your night was basically ruined."

Edward took my hand, but said nothing.

He carefully laced his fingers between mine, and then ran his thumb over my skin with tiny smooth circles while we waited, not so patiently, in front of the elevator doors. Garrett was standing off to the side, running his own thumbs frantically over his phones screen. He looked a bit stressed. The sight actually made me grin a little. I'd never seen 'stressed' on him before. It was a nice little break from his usual suave demeanor.

"Honestly, I'm partially to blame. If we'd left when I said we would, the entire scene probably could have been avoided."

What Edward had said was true, but I didn't want him to take all the blame. Jake was still the one who had let things escalate the way they did, and in public. Jake was the one who had made his pregnant fiancé totally lose it without even batting an eye, while he stood there at the scene of it all, unequivocally absent of any and all emotion.

"It wasn't your fault… but it would have been nice to have left a little sooner." I eventually replied, with the hint of a smirk on my face. He looked down and allowed a slight smile to escape past his own lips before increasing his grasp on my hand and pulling me in closer up against his body.

"When we get inside, I want you to go relax for a few minutes in one of your favorite quiet spots."

I raised my brow in response to his request and felt my smirk widen, "Oh, really? And what will you be doing while I'm relaxing in one of my favorite quiet spots, Mr. Cullen?"

Slowly, but surely, it appeared that Edward was attempting to help me forget all about how miserable tonight had actually turned out to be.

"No questions allowed, just do as you're told, Mrs. Cullen." His smile had doubled by this point, so I faked a pout and nodded my head after placing my freed index finger over my lips to mock my obedience.

I was shocked when we walked inside our front door and I saw Edward hand his phone over to Garrett. "Put this some place where I won't be able to find it. You can give it back to me in the morning."

"You got it. Will you need anything else from me this evening?"

"Not if you did your job right before we got here."

I stopped walking and swiftly turned back around to look at them.

They were both grinning at one another.

Something was up.

"I believe I did, Mr. Cullen… at least to the best of my ability from across town with nothing but a phone to rely on."

My eyes jetted back and forth between the two of them as my hands found my hips to further study their exchange.

_What in the world…_

"You're off the clock until tomorrow. Meet me in my office at eight A.M, and be ready for a long morning. Thanks for helping out tonight. You did good, Garrett. Really good."

Edward's assistant smiled and nodded his head. He offered me a brief glance before heading down the hallway towards his own room, but I was too busy processing the fact that Edward had actually cut himself off from the world for the rest of the night, to pay my art companion any real attention.

"I-I can't believe you just did that."

"Prior to this evening's… _events_… It had already come to my attention that I needed to, once again, re-prioritize a few things. Starting tonight, when I'm home, and the sun's said goodnight, my phone will be going into hiding until the next morning. Now, I want you to go into the laundry room, find something to change into, pour yourself a glass of wine, get comfortable, and wait for me. I will come get you in about ten to fifteen minutes."

I instantly felt tears begin to well up in my eyes as I stared into his.

"Those better be happy tears."

I slowly nodded my head, and then ran myself into his arms, giving him a giant hug. He increased his grasp around me, and I felt his lips kiss my forehead as his hands gently ran themselves down my hips to drawl me in deeper against him.

"Go draw me a pretty picture, Care Bear."

I pulled away to look back up into his eyes and found him already smiling down at me. His right index finger reached down to delicately trace my jaw line, and I felt my insides easily turn into mush. He didn't say anything else; he just leaned down to kiss my lips and then released me from his grasp before turning to head towards our bedroom.

After going into the laundry room, I quickly changed out of my dress and stilettos and then pulled on one of my favorite oversized t-shirts that I usually slept in. I fluffed my hair out in front of my shoulders and grabbed my art bag from the dining room table.

I stood in the middle of the living room for a few seconds, trying to make up my mind on where to go sit while biting anxiously at my bottom lip.

Eventually, I decided to go ahead and take myself out onto the balcony outside of Edward's office, which was at the opposite end of the penthouse. It was a spot I usually only visited during the early morning hours, before a new day would begin. From there I could catch the suns bright rays coming up over the large buildings that were nestled around the south side of our home.

I knew there was a full moon out, so I was sure it would be just as inspiring this evening, and I was definitely in need of some silent inspiration for my twitching finger tips.

Thankfully, the moment my pencil met the paper, I instantly felt the rest of my anxiety leave my body.

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><p>I'd lost track of the time. For all I knew, I could have been sitting out here, under the stars and city lights for over an hour, but by the looks of my sketch, it had probably been closer to twenty minutes.<p>

My hand had been far too busy moving about my paper, drawing an outline of Edward and Smith, both looking regal and justifiably important in their suits while they'd talked at the party this evening. This wouldn't be a sketch for the show. Instead, I planned on having it framed to give to Edward as a surprise on the opening night of, Unbridled Nation.

When the door opened a few feet away from where I was sitting, I casually closed my book and turned my head to smile at my husband.

He was already beaming when I looked up into his panty melting green eyes.

"Hey, beautiful."

I turned my head again, to playfully look behind me as if he were talking to someone else.

He let out a soft laugh and quickly made his way across the balcony to scoop me up into his arms. "Funny girl, you are."

"Who, me?"

He laughed again and shook his head while turning us around to carefully carry me back inside. He moved us towards his desk, and then instructed me to drop my book and pencils down as we passed by, but he didn't bother to slow down.

"Someone's in a hurry."

He smirked in response to my observation, but said nothing. I carefully followed his command, and then snuggled my head into his chest just below his chin after I'd freed my hands to wrap my arms around his neck. "What have you been up to, Stalker?"

I could feel his anticipation begin to take over as he continued to walk us out of his office and into the hallway.

"You'll see."

All of the lights had been turned off so darkness was now surrounding us.

I could make out a soft glow coming through the bottom of our bedroom doorway, and I could already hear music playing from our stereo.

I recognized it almost immediately.

It was the very same jazz music Edward had playing when he'd asked me to move in with him after one of my many terrible run in's with Jake almost three years ago.

The very same music that had also played in the background the first time we'd ever made love.

"You, and your surprises."

"Pft. You love them, and you know it."

I giggled and nodded my head as he carefully lowered me down to set me back onto my feet, just outside of our bedroom door.

"After you, Care Bear."

I glanced down at the door handle and then back up into his eyes.

He gestured with a nod from his head for me to turn the handle and continue inside.

When I finally did open the door, what I found caused me to take an abrupt step backwards right into Edwards waiting arms. He swiftly wrapped himself around me and brought his lips to my neck to place a delicate kiss behind my ear, causing me to melt further into him.

There must have been a hundred LED tea lights lit up all around our room. Their twinkling reflections danced across the walls, creating the most mesmerizing designs thanks to the crystal light fixtures that hung from our ceiling.

At the center of the room, right beside the large bay windows that over looked Central Park, was a familiar large red blanket. It was spread out with what looked to be a picnic basket and two wine glasses set carefully at its center. When my eyes continued to move about the room, I noticed multiple bouquets of red roses, mixed with long peacock feathers and Baby's Breath. They had been placed all around us with tea lights circling at the bottoms of their vases to highlight the arrangements.

Once again, I felt a happy tear begin to slid down my face as all the memories of one of our first dates back in California came rushing back to me.

It had been the night before we'd come back to the city and Edward had taken me up to a park, after hours of course. We'd had to scale a locked fence and he'd gotten a fairly R rated view of my panties before we'd even made it to our final destination that evening.

I giggled softly to myself as my cheeks flushed over the memory of that unbelievable evening, and how perfect everything had been.

"You remember then?" He carefully questioned, after stepping up behind me to wrap his arms back around my waist.

"Of course I remember. It was one of the happiest nights of my entire life. That's when I knew I'd finally found someone worth falling for… Someone who had the potential to put me back together again, and show me what real love was and what it could feel like. I knew it wouldn't be easy and that we'd have to fight for it, but I also knew you were everything I'd ever wanted so it would be worth the fight. I don't understand, though. How did you… when did you get all of this done?"

"I had Garrett make some calls for me this evening, and then I arranged for the doorman to let someone in to drop everything I'd need off. I guess I can tell you now that this was why we didn't leave right on time. It took a little longer than I'd hoped, to get everything here, and I wanted this to be perfect."

I looked back at him with a shocked expression on my face, "So, _this_ is why you made us stay longer? Not because you lost track of the time… or because you were having such an amazing time with Vic and her mind numbing minions? Oh, my God! I feel so horrible now."

He smiled and shrugged his shoulders. "It was a random idea I had after seeing you walk out tonight, before we left for the party. Seeing you in that dress… It made me remember that night, when I came to pick you up at your hotel, and how anxious I was to have you all to myself, so I'd be able to tell you and then show you just how hard I'd fallen for you."

"I can't believe this. You really planned all of this… in your head… before we'd even left our home?"

He slowly leaned himself back against the wall behind him with a perplexed looked on his face, and crossed his arms, "I did. Does that really surprise you?"

Without even giving it a second thought, I distinctly nodded my head, and then started to walk over towards the blanket that he'd set up beside the opened windows. I lowered myself down to take a seat and ran my hand over its plush fabric. "Maybe surprise is the wrong word… lately I've just felt like, like you've had a lot on your mind, and little of it has had anything to do with me."

It wasn't my intention to start things off with something negative, but I wanted to be honest. I wanted him to know that I was starting to feel more and more disconnected from him the further he stepped into this new career of his.

I hadn't prepared myself for his reaction.

The way his face broke into pieces over the words I had said… I was immediately reaching out to take him by the hands so I could bring him down beside me. "No, no! I don't want you to feel bad. You've just been so busy, I know you don't even realize it, or mean to do it. You're being pulled in a million different directions right now, but it won't be forever, and I know that. Bringing us with you on this trip has meant so much to me, you have no idea."

"And that's why I want you to come with me to New Orleans. I don't want to ever be away from you, or the kids. You know I hate traveling without you guys. It's like a part of me is missing when I go more than twelve hours without seeing your face."

I nodded my head, understanding exactly what he meant because I always felt the same way. I leaned in to kiss his lips, and then pressed my forehead to his after taking his face between my hands.

"If you want us there, we will be there. It would take a hurricane to keep me away."

"Well, I'm in luck then, because I'm pretty sure hurricane season is over."

I giggled and nodded my head before moving myself over to take a seat on his lap. "So, what's in the basket, Stalker?"

"Everything we had that night on the hilltop at the park."

I tilted my head to the side and smirked "We didn't end up eating much that night." I softly teased, after I'd begun running my fingers through his hair to give it a playful tug.

He smirked and traveled his own hand down my hip to lift my right thigh and wrap it around his waist. I was once again facing him, with my legs now straddling his body, and his eyes looking deeply into mine.

His stare remained locked with mine as he reached up to trace my bottom lip with his index finger, "Well, not much food anyways, Care Bear."

I laughed and shook my head, "Funny guy, you are."

"Who, me?"

I rolled my eyes playfully, and quickly grabbed his face to bring his mouth against mine. His needful hands wasted no time to lift my shirt up and over my head, so that I was now sitting topless in his lap over his hardened cock with nothing but my black thong and his dress pants between us.

I followed his lead and doffed his own dress shirt, not even caring about the buttons; I just tore it from his body and tossed it behind me, milliseconds before our mouths collided. I pressed my palm to his chest and gently shoved him backwards, so that he would be lying down underneath me.

"I_ really_ needed this tonight." I softly shared, feeling a bit over whelmed by all of the emotions that were now taking over.

He smiled and reached up to run his hand across my cheek. "I _really_ did, too. I know I've said this before but I need to get better at taking my own time outs. I'm trying, Bella. I really am. I need you to believe that. I don't ever want you to feel like you're second to anything, or anyone. You will always be my first, before anything else that might come into our lives. There is nothing I wouldn't do for you. Nothing in this world matters more to me than you knowing you are my everything." I glanced away, feeling bashful all of the sudden, but he quickly redirected my eyes back towards him. "Don't turn away. Look at me. You know that, Bella, don't you? You know there's nothing I wouldn't do for you? For us?"

I followed his command and silently nodded my head, knowing if I tried to speak I would probably just succumb to the happy tears that were begging to be released from behind my eyes.

"Jesus, you're so goddamn beautiful. I love it when I wake up before you in the morning. I lay in our bed for a good ten minutes, just watching you sleep, thinking to myself of how lucky I am. It's no wonder every man had their eyes locked on you tonight when we walked into that suffocating party."

"Stop."

"No. I'll never stop, because it's the absolute truth." He delicately ran his index finger down the center of my chest all the way past my bellybutton, and then tugged at the elastic band of my panties. "You're everything that's right in my life. You're what completes me. Not my job. Not these films. Not those people. I need you to tell me you know that. I need to hear it come off your tongue and past your lips."

I took in a deep breath, and felt my body tremble under his touch as I remained positioned over his lap and processed his words.

"Of course I know that. I'm just still getting used to having to share you with the rest of the world, who also seems to have fallen hopelessly in love with you." I eventually admitted with disappointment clearly in my tone.

"The rest of the world doesn't own my heart, Bella."

It was moments like this that made me wonder if my husband was some type of mind reader.

It was as if he'd heard everything I'd told Jake tonight, when we'd stood in front of his building, but Edward had applied it to our own situation, to make sure I remembered everything that really truly mattered at the end of the day when it came to us and our relationship.

I smiled and slowly looked up towards the ceiling before closing my eyes to appreciate the importance of his words. "You better never ever issue a recall, on that heart, Mr. Cullen."

"Not in this lifetime, _Mrs._ Cullen… Or any other."

The way he was looking at me; the longing, lust filled stare on his face, it brought on a state of confidence that I hadn't felt in quite some time. I leaned myself downward to take his bottom lip between my teeth, and then carefully returned my mouth against his. He moaned with hunger, and rocked my hips deeper into his lap so I'd be able to feel his swollen cock quake beneath me.

He reached out to grab at my ass with his opened hands, and then lifted me upward to halt the friction I was now in desperate need of. "Fuck, Care Bear. I've been waiting all damn night for this." He whispered beside my ear before slapping my bottom with his opened palm, catching me completely off guard. His action sent a loud moan through my parted lips and I instantly fell forward on top of him, bringing his face beautiful between my breasts.

Without hesitation, Edward took my perked nipple between his teeth and applied just enough pressure that it sent me frantically searching for the zipper of his dress pants.

He refused to release my breast from his masterful tongue, but without a verbal warning, I was suddenly being lifted up into the air, and then back down onto my feet while his hands grabbed at my shoulders to walk me backwards until my back met the smooth surface of the glass window behind me.

He moaned against my neck, just below my ear, and feverishly continued exploring my bare skin with his mouth. The vibrations as he clamped his teeth down around my nipple caused my knees to tremble while his explicit motions continued to threaten me with temporary paralysis.

His hands pressed sensually against my sternum, and then traveled back up to grasp at my neck. He forced my head further to the side, granting him better access to one of the more sensitive spots of my body and I moaned in bliss.

With my eyes now closed, I felt something warm begin to make its way over my skin. I could smell the intoxicating aroma of one of my favorite body oils as it slowly slid down my breasts and dripped off my nipples onto the tops of my bare feet from where I remained standing, with my back still pressed against the window.

His finger tips and palms began carefully exploring every inch of my slicked skin with smooth fluid like motions. He bent his left knee, and then closed the small gap between us, slowly pressing it between my legs. I moaned again, feeling the friction from his leg as he rubbed it between my thighs, heightening my desire to have all of him, in ways that would make a porn star blush.

Our tongues collided, and my fingers instantly attached themselves to his hair. His skilled hands began messaging my breasts again and then slowly traveled down past my belly button to linger above the single part of my being that was now longing for his touch the most.

I held my breath as his first two fingers slipped past the elastic band of my low cut panties towards my moistened center. I let out a soft yelp before biting down on my bottom lip to silence my escaped cry after he'd impaled my pussy with his elongated digits, giving me three sensual thrusts with his skilled hand.

"Well, that won't do. I'll need you to be much louder than that, Care Bear."

I giggled over his theatric disappointment, and then carefully spread my legs further before him in order to give him a little more access. He grinned against my mouth and brought my bottom lip between his own teeth. I ran my hand down his working arm to press his fingers further inside of me, the action causing my lips to further part as I yelped out in ecstasy before cursing his name between my clinched teeth. His third finger slipped in after he'd flicked my swollen clit with his thumb, and he began rocking my body forward and backwards, and then up and down with the motion of his talented fingers and pulsing palm.

If it hadn't been for the window behind me, I was sure I'd be on my hands and knees crying out in absolute euphoria while he continued to conquer my body.

When he abruptly ended our kiss to look back into my eyes, I felt as though all the oxygen had left the room.

It was insane how much I depended on him to survive, even in our moments of passion.

He smirked after licking his lips, and then leaned back down to return his teeth to my erect nipple.

While his fingers continued to work me over, he slowly changed his position and got down onto his knees before me. After briskly removing my panties from around my ankles, he carefully replaced his hand with his opened mouth, and hungry tongue, forcing me to once again steady myself by latching onto his hair with my own trembling hands.

"Oh, fuck, Edward! So good! Please, don't stop!"

His tongue licked and circled at my tender opening as his hands carefully spread my legs further apart beneath me. He lapped at my excitement with careful precision; licking and nibbling in places that challenged my ability to remain steady and in control of my limbs.

I grabbed frantically at the back of his head and brought his face in deeper after his right hand had reached up to begin pulsing my breast in unison with the motion of his extraordinarily gifted mouth.

I was on the verge of coming, but it was way too fucking soon.

"N-no. Slow- slow da-down. Please, slow down!" I begged, firmly tugging at his hair again, but this time it was to drawl his head back.

"I need to taste more of you, baby. I promise to get you here again. We have a long evening ahead of us; I only hope you'll be able to keep up." He toyed, and then easily returned his mouth to the tender space between my legs, just as his fingers returned to messaging my pussy with his tantalizing touch beside his tongue.

"I'm coming! Oh God! Edward, I'm coming SO hard!" His mouth began moving vigorously to lap up the ecstasy he had released from deep inside of me. I could hear him moaning in delight as his hands began squeezing at my bottom, taking in all of me against his parted lips.

I quaked above his pulsing tongue and again latched myself onto his hair while I firmly pressed my back deeper against the window that was still keeping me upright.

My entire body was trembling, even after he removed himself from the space between my legs.

"So fucking edible."

I smiled, remembering that he'd used those same words that night up the hilltop when the twinkling tea lights had danced all around us after he'd given me the greatest orgasm of my life, _post_ Jake.

Without saying anything, I silently moved myself around to take my place down on my knees before him. He'd fallen backwards to lay himself against the carpet, while attempting to slow his own breathing down and catch his breath.

He opened his eyes and grinned after sitting himself back up onto his extended arms. His right hand reached out to graze the side of my face. I slowly turned my head into his opened palm and parted my lips, signaling that I wanted to taste myself on his fingers. He smirked and followed my cue, carefully bringing his digits into my mouth, and then delicately moved them in and out without breaking our stare. I leaned myself forward onto all fours and brought them deeper between my lips, instantly moaning as he pressed his index and middle fingers against the top of my tongue.

"I know you like the way I make you taste."

I silently nodded my head in response, while humming my mouth over his fingers. "Mmmhm."

That's when he surprised me with an animalist growl that brought him up onto his feet. I was now eye level with his saluting cock. I reached up to pull his boxers down, all the way past his ankles, and licked my lips. Our eyes once again met as I ran the tip of my tongue up, and then down his impressive length. My fingers increased their grip around the base of his firmed dick and he let out another low moan, just as I was about to bring all of him into my salivating mouth.

"Shall I continue, Stalker?"

I felt his fingers intertwine with the hair at the back of my head and waited for his response.

"Bella, if I ever answer that question with a 'no', during a moment like this, I want you to have me committed."

I smirked and nodded one time, which instantly caused his eyes to close in anticipation.

My hungry grin slowly circled itself around his solid flawlessness. I opened my mouth wider, taking in every inch of his silky smooth perfection, and carefully brought him past my teeth towards the back of my throat. I kept my eyes locked on his euphoric face and moaned with delight after reaching around with my freed hand to grab at his perfect ass.

He quickly increased his grasp at the back of my head, and I let him begin to guide my motions. After a few delicious minutes, my right hand slowly reached up to remove his own hand from my hair.

I wouldn't need him to escort me to his finish line.

I knew what he wanted, and how he wanted it.

I placed my hands beside my opened mouth and began moving myself up and down his shaft to the rhythm I knew he was longing for.

On impulse, he lurched forward, and grabbed at my face with his strong hands to slow me down.

"Christ, Bella. Your goddamn mouth!"

I smiled over his cock and carefully increase my speed before briskly removing myself from him.

He looked down in panic with his chest heaving in and out as he tried to catch his breath and not fall to his own knees.

"If I let you come, will you still make love to me?"

"Baby, I will make love to you until the sun comes up. With you, there's never a limit. By now, you should know this!"

I smiled and playfully shrugged my shoulders, "Sometimes it's just nice to hear you say it."

Without wasting another second, I returned my lips to his glistening cock and steadily began running my hand up and down beside my humming mouth.

After only a few more pulses, his body stilled and he went dead silent.

He was almost there, and I was ready.

"Fuck. I'm coming! Don't stop!"

I followed his command and deepened my thrust, feeling the tip of his cock hit the back of my throat as the familiar taste of his warm, salty nectar entered my mouth and traveled down into my belly. He pumped himself four more times between my lips, and then let out an elated moan. I watched him fall to the floor and felt my own satisfaction triple in size.

"You're unbelievable, woman."

"It will always and forever be my absolute pleasure to please you in ways other women can only dream of." I toyed as I slowly began to crawl myself over to curl up beside him. I licked my lips and ran my fingers across his chest to pull my body further over him, and then felt his own arm wrap itself across my waist to hold me in place.

"Seriously, how do you do that? How do you _per'fect _something that's already been deemed perfect?"

"Oh, hush!" I giggled and snuggled myself deeper into his chest. I could hear his heart thumping rapidly beneath my ear and the sound caused my blissful smirk to take over my expression.

"I love you, Edward Cullen. So-so_ frighteningly_ much."

He pulled me up by my shoulders so I'd be looking straight into his eyes, and then carefully tucked my hair back behind my ears.

"I love you, Bella Cullen. Until the day I die, and then forever into eternity."

I smirked and rolled my eyes, "There's the cheese."

"You love it."

I giggled like a nerd and briskly nodded my head, "I do. But not nearly as much as I love that mouth of yours."

He sat us up, without warning, and then carefully lifted me into his arms to begin walking us towards our bed. "I hope you're ready for seconds, because we've got a long night ahead of us. I need to feel you on top of me now, Care Bear. I hope that's okay?"

I smirked again and silently nodded my head as he gently laid me down on top of our silky comforter.

I'd already planned on seeing stars in our room tonight, more times than I'd be able to count on my hand.

Lucky for us, we wouldn't have any little ones around to wake us up and demand our attention in about five hours.

The night was ours, and I knew Edward wouldn't let us sleep until I was feeling both numb and bruised in all the right places.

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><p>It was well after four in the morning. I'd been lying in bed beside Edward for the last half hour, willing myself to fall asleep, but no matter how hard I tried, my brain refused to shut down. All I could think about was heading back outside to finish the picture I had started before my husband had stolen me away.<p>

With delicate ease, I scooted myself out from under his arm, and then stood up from our bed. He moved for a moment, but just rolled over onto his side after mumbling something about 'damn lines' and 'cameras'. I stifled a soft laugh and carefully turned myself around to get dressed. Once I'd completed that mission, I then grabbed my phone from the dresser, to use it as a flashlight, and silently made my way across the room to head out into the hallway.

The house was dead silent.

It was almost eerie with the shadows dancing around me as they bounced off the walls from my phones obnoxious light.

I pushed the door to Edward's office open and stopped in my tracks after noticing the soft glow that was already coming through at the bottom of the tall door that would bring me back out onto the balcony. I was almost certain that Edward had turned the light off after he'd scooped me up into his arms to bring me to our bedroom.

I grabbed my stuff from where I'd dropped it on top of the large oak desk in the center of the room and then carefully opened the door.

Garrett instantly swung his head around, looking as though I'd caught him stuffing his pockets with diamonds and gold.

The moment our eyes met, he slammed his sketch book closed and stuck his pencil behind his ear.

"Jesus, you scared the shit out of me!"

"Sorry to interrupt. I guess we both had the same idea." I carefully replied as I took a calculated step out onto the balcony.

Garrett shook his head and ran his hand nervously through his hair. "I figured you'd be locked away until morning."

"I can't sleep."

He grinned and nodded his head, "Yeah, I was having the same problem, which is what sent me out here. Let's just say it's probably a good thing your kid's rooms are all the way at the other end of the hall. Otherwise, I'd be predicating the need for intensive therapy in their futures."

I looked at him feeling confused by his words.

All it took was the slight raise of his brow, and his signature smirk with his head tilted to the side, and I instantly realized what he was insinuating.

"Oh, God. Shut up!"

"What? You guys have wild, crazy loud, amazingly hot sex. You should take pride in that. The next time someone warns me to never get married, or have kids, because it will ruin the sex… I'm going to tell them their dead fucking WRONG!"

Thankfully, he stopped there to laugh lightly to himself while I contemplated reaching out to give him a hard shove from the palms of my hands. "Anyways, I'm just surprised you didn't pass out after all that."

"You could have left."

"I could have… but I didn't. Where was I going to go at midnight… and then one… one thirty… two… and then again at about two forty, in the morning?"

I rolled my eyes and slowly made my way towards the other lounge chair a few feet away from him. "Changing the topic now, any new news coming in?"

"Nah, nothing worth worrying over."

I lowered myself down into the seat and slowly tucked my feet up underneath me before letting out a brash huff.

After hearing him laugh again, I looked up to find his eyes smiling at me, "Well aren't you shiny. And what is that smell… peppermint?"

I glanced down at my exposed arms and realized my skin was still shimmering from the massage oil Edward had rubbed all over my naked body.

"Eucalyptus."

"Smells amazing."

"Yup, felt amazing, too. You know what... it was actually _beyond_ amazing. My husband is a gifted man, with many talents, and yes, our sex life is something everyone on this planet should envy. The way he works my body, the way he uses his tongue… no other man could ever come close to satisfying me the way he does." I bluntly shared, maybe a little too proudly, hoping it might catch him by surprise and make him feel a bit uncomfortable.

He didn't even blink.

"It's okay. Keep rubbing it in. Yes, I'm newly single, but I won't let it bother me."

I rolled my eyes and flipped my hand in the air, "Oh please, because you're not already planning your next conquest back on the west coast?"

He shrugged his shoulders and carefully reached down to open his sketch book back up. I watched him turn to the last page and felt my eyes go wide when he extended the book out for me to take it from his hand.

It had been so long since he'd let me see anything new.

I'd pretty much accepted that I'd probably have to wait, just like everyone else, until our opening night.

"Go ahead. Take it."

I looked up into his eyes.

This time I saw something I'd never seen before.

He looked… tormented… vulnerable… sad.

When I redirected my line of vision, back down towards his displayed sketch, I felt my heart splinter for him.

It was a sketch of Maggie.

Her smile was unbelievably infectious, and her eyes were wickedly fierce with both admiration and confidence captured in her expression.

Unfortunately, she was also naked, lying on her belly with her legs kicked up behind her bare bottom.

Her ass looked amazing, and I hated her for it.

I had to give credit, where credit was due, though.

The drawing was absolutely mesmerizing.

"This is… so… it's so lifelike, Garrett. Her eyes… it's like she's looking right at me." His own artistic eye for detail, and the way he was able to make certain features appear as if they were coming up off the page in 3D, it was ridiculously insane that he'd done it all by hand with nothing more than a few different shades of pencils.

"She was a great muse."

I looked up into his broken stare and frowned, "So… you really did end up falling for her, didn't you?"

"She's a special kind of woman. I didn't expect to find that in her, but I did. Believe me, it shocked me, too."

I reached out and squeezed his shoulder with my right hand, and then scooted myself closer towards his chair. "It's her loss. You were too good for her anyways."

His sudden change of expression took me by surprise.

"That's probably the nicest thing you've ever said to me that wasn't directly related to my art."

"Yup, it probably was." I toyed as I handed the sketch book back over to him so I'd be able to grab my own book to open it up in my lap.

"It's funny, because it's not even the sex that I'll miss the most. It was definitely more of the _after_ that I'd gotten used to. Her just being real… without any censorship, or rehearsed lines. She'd lie around like this, and we would talk for hours." He paused to run his finger over the drawing in his book and then let out a frustrated huff. "She was always so unbelievably comfortable in her own skin. Even with every light on in the room while I'd sketch her with my pencils. The woman had no shame, and for good goddamn reason, it's really rare to find that. I'd gone in thinking she would be the most vein, insecure human being on the planet, but once she was stripped down, she really just didn't give a shit, and I loved that about her. She had this thing for earlobes though…"

I snorted and looked up from my paper again, "Ear lobes?"

"Yeah. She has a hard time falling asleep, especially after getting off, unless she's rubbing on someone's ear."

"Wow, so that's why she never has any down time between manfriends. Why can't she just count sheep like everyone else?" The remark was out of my mouth before I could stop myself. "Ugh, sorry. I didn't mean…"

"No, it's okay. It kind of makes it all a little more understandable. Which is why I brought it up, I guess. She needs a security blanket with her at all times, and I just couldn't be that guy. My damn right ear has been sore for weeks. At least the bruising will finally start to go away now."

He let out a laugh, but I could tell it was forced.

I made a mental note to later steal a glimpse of his ear, and then redirected my eyes to look out towards the city skyline and its bright lights.

"I know how that feels. To be someone's security blanket, I mean, and not much more. I carried Jake for years, just being there for him… being whatever it was, whoever it was, that he needed me to be."

"Huh… well, maybe I'll get lucky and meet some hot, rich, low maintenance, socialite on the subway tomorrow?"

He was joking but I wasn't laughing.

"I'm a firm believer that everyone has a soul mate. Yes, I got lucky, but you better believe I went through a lot of ugly bullshit before getting to my happy ending. The stars aligned for me at the perfect time, so that I'd be able to find the one person on this planet that I was meant to be with. I believe someday that will happen for you, too."

"Nah, I don't need any of that. Truthfully, I'm not looking for a soul mate. I just want someone I can talk to. Someone who will be real with me. Someone who gets me, and doesn't try to dissect every little thing I do, or look for something to pick at, and try to change."

I nodded my head; understanding exactly what he was saying, and then slowly leaned myself back into my chair after stretching my legs out in front of me.

"I get that."

"Yup, I know you do, Bella."

The drop in his voice caused me to look over at him where I found his eyes already watching me.

"_Right_, well, all this talking about talking has apparently been exactly what I needed to start to feel sleepy."

"Glad to have been of service, my lady."

I smiled and nodded my head as my legs slowly lifted the rest of my body up from my seat.

"He loves you a lot, you know. Edward. He wanted tonight to be perfect. Especially after Jake's attempt to sabotage it all."

I stopped at the door and turned back around.

"Jake knew what Edward had planned?"

Garrett nodded and ran his hand nervously through his hair. "Yeah, he was around a few times when we were talking about it. Sorry if I'm over stepping, but something seemed to change with him as the night wore on. Maybe that's just me being a hypocrite, though, and over analyzing things?"

I shook my head and let out an annoyed laugh, "No. I know Jake, and I don't think you're over analyzing. If anything, you've just answered the one question that's been running through my mind over and over again since I stepped outside onto that stupid terrace tonight."

"You can't hold his hand forever."

I nodded again, silently agreeing with him, and offered one last wave from my hand before heading back inside.

At least now I had a possible reason for my ex's ridiculous behavior tonight, and why he'd said the things he'd said while we'd stood outside of his building.

Jake losing to Edward would always be a sore spot.

Hearing about my husband planning a romantic evening, where he would recreate the same date that we'd gone on the night before we'd traveled back to the city where Jake had been waiting for me… hoping to win me back… well, I'm sure that had brought back all kinds of insecurities for my ex, and apparently Leah had caught on to that.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: So is Bella right? Was that Jake's issue? Maybe… possibly… but I'd bet there's more. *wink***

**Thoughts on Garrett in this chapter?**

**Are we a little more pleased with Edward?**

**Next chapter will be EPOV, and there will be a Jake confrontation, so get ready! **

****In other news, I'm temporarily in need of a new 2****nd**** beta. If you're interested in helping out please drop me a PM. A warning… I hate comma's so you'll have to love them. *smirk***

**Also, if you're interested in following me on Twitter you can find me at, TailoredDreams. I'm going to start posting teasers again on there, so I just wanted to give a heads up. **

**Thanks so much for reading!**

********Reviews make me smile. They also light a fire under my ass to write!********


	18. Past-Beginning-Future

_Disclaimer: Twilight and its original characters belong to SM. No copyright infringement is intended with the posting of this story. _

**A/N: Back again! This chapter took a few extra days because I had to go back and re-read some TMT stuff to make sure my characters were staying true to themselves and their actions. Not much more to say here other than big thanks to my amazing beta, myonlyheroin. Any and all mistakes are mine, because I did a lot of tweaking after she'd worked her beta magic. Buckle up, because this one gets a little bumpy.**

* * *

><p><strong>Past-Beginning-Future<strong>

**Chapter 18**

**~~*Edward*~~**

The sun was coming in thru the window, but I was nowhere near ready to remove myself from our bed.

Bella was cuddled up against me, her arm draped over my chest with a tranquil smile on her beautiful sleeping face.

I really didn't want to move her.

Waking up with her in my arms had easily taken away some of the instant stress I'd been cursed with the moment I'd opened my eyes this morning, but it hadn't taken long for our current reality to settle back in.

After turning my head to glance at our alarm clock, I saw that it was just after seven thirty.

In thirty minutes, Garrett would be waiting for me in my office, with my phone. I already knew the damn thing would be filled with messages that would demand my immediate attention.

There would be so much to do today, and then I'd have to go in for our last table read later tonight.

Somewhere in between it all, I'd also have to take a quick ride downtown to drop in on Bella's ex.

I'd already made up my mind last night that we were going to have a talk, and he was going to listen.

Jacob Black wouldn't be moving into my house, if he had plans to make Bella's life miserable again with his bullshit manipulations. It just wasn't going to happen, and he needed to hear that directly from me, in person, so he'd know I wasn't fucking around.

Regardless of Jake's less than valiant efforts, the way Bella and I had ended our evening...

Lets just say I was fairly certain I'd be leaving the house today with at least two marks on my neck and scratches down my back and both of my arms. I'd wear that shit proudly, though, because I knew it would please my girl beyond belief.

I laughed lightly to myself, remembering her face after last night's third orgasm.

She'd been on all fours over our mattress, and then fell face first off the edge of our bed after convulsing over the way I'd made love to her from behind with one hand on her hip, and the other grasping her hair. She'd clearly been beyond mortified, but somehow, she'd still managed to also be the sexiest damn thing I'd ever seen… Even after curling herself up into a fetal position on our floor while trying to hide her face and obvious embarrassment.

My laughing over our X-rated memory suddenly stirred her and my smile grew.

She increased her grasp around me, and then slowly opened her eyes. "Ugh, is it morning already?"

"Unfortunately it is, Sleeping Beauty."

"Nooooooooooo!" She playfully groaned before digging her face back into my chest.

"Aw, come on, you got a few good hours of uninterrupted sleep. You should be ready to take on the world, baby"

"I wish." She groaned, "It took me forever to fall asleep. It was awful."

I frowned and smoothed her hair back out of her face, "I'm sorry. You should have woken me up. I would have rubbed your back until you fell asleep."

She turned her head to look up at me and offered a smile. "You were passed out, and for good reason. You earned that sleep, Stalker!"

I laughed and shrugged my shoulders to tease her. "I suppose you're right. I did earn it, didn't I?" Before I could even take in another breath, her finger tips were attacking me at my hips. I grabbed her wrists and swiftly brought her hands to my lips and then pulled her up into my lap. "Last night was amazing. You were amazing!"

She giggled and nodded her head in agreement while bashfully glancing away. "It was amazing, wasn't it? It's nice to know I can still count on our alone time to help me forget about everything else that's less than perfect in our life."

I immediately knew she was referring to the Jake fiasco, and it was now pissing me off that her ex's latest fuck up was one of the first things she'd remembered after waking up this morning.

And when she said nothing else, I knew it was because she was busy rewinding, and replaying everything that had happened before we'd gotten home last night.

"My mom should be here with the twins around one for lunch, so you'll have some free time to sketch if you want to head over to the park for a bit." I was trying to give her another distraction, and praying she'd take the bait. The last thing I wanted was for her to sit here all day, stewing over Jake and his bullshit selfishness.

"That sounds like a perfect morning. I think I'll start things off with a nice relaxing bath; do you have time to join me?"

I frowned and shook my head. "I really need to get to work. I'm sure I've got lots of fires already waiting to be put out, but after tonight, I will be entirely yours for the rest of our time here in the city."

She let out a long winded sigh and rolled herself off of me to curl herself back up, submerged underneath our comforter. "Fine, go! Shoo! I'll be okay all on my own."

She was teasing, but I knew there was some truth being masked behind her playful exterior.

After getting myself up out of our bed, I pulled the blanket back and kissed the top of her head. She faked a frown with her eyes sealed shut before playfully pulling the blanket back up and over her. I smiled to myself as I ran my hand down the frame of her body, and then made my way into our bathroom to take a quick shower and get dressed.

I was fairly certain Garrett would already have the videos waiting for me from last night's little scene out on the terrace.

Once I'd watched said videos, I'd have to reply to any and all emails and or texts from those that I respected the most in the gossip realm of our 'exclusive' industry.

I could only imagine the texts I'd have from Emmett.

He lived for this kind of shit. It always seemed ridiculously unfair that his own life was rarely touched by the nuisance of relentless drama you'd find in tabloids and gossip blogs on the web.

After drying off, brushing my teeth, and getting dressed, I went back into our bedroom and found Bella sitting at the edge of our bed starring out the window, completely lost in her thoughts.

The look on her face instantly told me what I needed to know.

She looked as though she were on the verge of crying, and the sight had me furious, but also cautious.

"Baby, what's wrong?"

She shook her head, breaking the trance she was in, and then turned to look up at me. "Nothing… I'm fine... Just ridiculously tired… I wonder if your mom would mind keeping the kids a little longer. I could really use a few more hours of sleep, but I'd also love to get some quiet time in down at the park, under my tree."

She wasn't being straight with me, and even though that annoyed me more than it probably should have, I didn't push.

I knew she'd never admit out loud that it was Jake and his old ways that she'd been sitting here thinking about.

Something's had changed, but one thing would always stay the same when it came to her connection with Jacob Black.

She would always view him as her problem, no one else's.

I also knew that it would be pointless to push her to say that out loud.

"I'm sure my mom wouldn't mind. Stay in bed, beautiful. I'll give her a call and work something out. Get up when you're ready, and enjoy a nice quiet unscheduled morning. "

She nodded and forced a smile, but remained silent.

I ran my hand across her cheek and leaned down to place a kiss delicately at her lips. After tucking her back into bed, I closed the curtains in our room and headed out to find Garrett.

It was nice to walk into my office and find him already sitting in front of my desk waiting for me with my coffee in his hand.

"Morning, boss."

"What did I say about calling me, boss?"

"Not to do it."

I raised my brow and nodded one time as I lowered myself down into my chair, "Heed the warning, kid. I'm not in the mood today."

His short lived smirk caused me to lean back further in my chair and cross my arms.

"What's so funny, Garr-ferret?"

"Nothing, I just figured…" he stopped and shook his head. "Never mind."

I knew exactly what he was getting at; I just wanted to hear him say it.

"Spit it out."

"Fine, I just figured that after last night, you'd wake up this morning on cloud fucking nine."

And there it was.

I'd actually hoped he'd hear at least some of the wall trembling moans that I'd sent past Bella's lips late last night, so this was good, but it still didn't change the mood I was now in.

"I've got too much bullshit coming at me to float on that gratification all day. That being said, thanks again for helping make all of that possible. It was nice to give Bella the opportunity to forget all the bullshit, even if it was short lived."

He smiled and shrugged his shoulders before glancing down at his phone, "Just doing my job. Glad I could help. Anyways, getting back to today's issues at hand. Two different videos have surfaced. One actually has a bit of audio to it. Not much, but enough that Jake looks like the world's biggest, insensitive asshole. The other video just shows the end of the incident, when Bella goes out there and tries to calm Leah down and Leah shrugs her away, then it cuts over to you talking with the two women whose phones Bella ruined. Nothing major, if anything, it just shows how obnoxious those two were, and it also clears Bella of any physical altercation because the one girl specifically states that all Bella did was toss their phones into the water."

"What's the audio on the first video?"

Garrett frowned and slowly made his way around my desk to pull up the clip onto my laptop's screen.

It already had over twenty thousand hits, and it was barely eight in the morning.

"Whoever filmed this was a sneaky son of a bitch. Apparently, they'd gone around to the master guestroom. The one that had a door that led out onto the terrace. They'd cracked the backdoor open to capture the entire scene, as it played out on the balcony, so the picture quality is actually pretty perfect, and so is the audio." Garrett explained.

At the start of the video Jake looked annoyed, and Leah looked thoroughly pissed. She was in his face pointing her finger firmly into his chest while he avoided any and all eye contact with her.

Garrett stopped the video for a second and cleared his throat, "Before you watch this, I should probably warn you. Bella does get mentioned… several times. And your name, too… and um… I guess I get brought up, but not by name."

"I already assumed as much… since this is Jake we're talking about. Just play the damn video."

He nodded and hit the button once again before taking a step back to stand behind me.

The camera zoomed in, and then out, until it finally focusing on Leah's heated face.

"Because finding your boxed up shrine to her wasn't enough, now you're going to obsess over the fact that Bella has a new BFF with a penis and pretty eyes?! Get over it, Jacob! _I'm_ your fiancé!_ I'm_ having your baby! _Not _Bella Swan-Cullen! I'm so done with being the runner up in your life. Edward won. Game OVER! Apparently, though, you still can't fully accept facts, or you wouldn't have had everything that reminded you of her, _and_ your twisted relationship, stashed away in the back of your closet years later!"

Jake snickered something under his breath, and then shook his head with a hesitant shrug from his shoulders, "You shouldn't have been snooping through my things."

"Snooping?! I was helping YOU pack so you can move across the country, leaving me and your baby behind, to go live with HER, where you'll be able to further fan your everlasting existing obsession for the one that got away! I don't know who the bigger idiot is, me or you!"

He laughed lightly and scratched at the back of his head, "Please don't make me answer that."

I could hardly believe what I'd just heard.

He was acting exactly as he had throughout Bella's entire pregnancy, when he'd selfishly brought her to tears, and caused her so much unneeded stress and heartache numerous times, over and over again.

"I know you're still in love her, _Jacob_."

"You're being ridiculous, _Leah_. If you truly believed that, then why the hell are you marrying me?" His words were calm, and his face absolutely absent of any and all real emotion. It was almost eerie just how relaxed he actually seemed.

Leah took a step back, her own face immediately crumbling into her opened hands as her shoulders began to quake over her sporadic cries that took over her body. Jacob mumbled something else, but luckily for him, the mic hadn't picked it up. Whatever he'd said, though, Leah's sobbing instantly doubled.

For a moment, it looked as if she might reach out and slap him across the face. She somehow held it together, though, and pulled her hand back to drape it over her pregnant belly, almost as if she were protecting it from him and his callous words.

I'd seen that look so many times before on Bella, back when she'd been on the receiving end of Jake, and his manipulative ways.

I slammed my lap top shut and stood up from my desk, "Get your stuff. We're leaving."

"Where are we going?" Garrett question, his eyes wide with concern, and confusion.

"We're going to go pay Jacob Black a visit."

* * *

><p>Thankfully, Bella had been in the bathroom when I'd gone into our bedroom to tell her Garrett and I would be heading out for a little while. She'd briefly tried to question me through the door, but I'd brushed over the details, and quickly told her I'd be back in less than an hour with breakfast in my hands.<p>

After mentioning the promise of food, her interrogation easily simmered down.

"So, we're just going to go up there and knock, or what? You're not going to start anything physical right? Do I get a bonus if I step in and take a punch? I should probably warn you, my bail might be a little high, because of shit in my past, but I've totally got your back."

Garrett was joking, but truthfully, he did look slightly nervous, and unusually anxious.

"I'm not going to touch the guy. I'm just going to confront him about this so called shrine of his, and find out what's been going on. He's not going to stay in my home if he's got plans to start acting like a prick again. I refuse to put Bella through that, even though she'd insist she can handle it… I'm not going to give him the platform to stir up the past, and stress her out all over again."

Garrett cleared his throat and let out a dry cough. I turned to look in his direction and could instantly tell I really didn't want to hear what it was he was thinking, but of course I had to ask anyways.

"What?"

He shrugged and shook his head, "Nothing. Not my place. I'm just the assistant."

He was right. It wasn't his place, and he was just the assistant, so he was smart to keep his mouth shut.

When we got to Jake's building, I would have Garrett wait for me outside of his apartment. Since Bella's ex already had some kind of an issue with Bella's new art buddy, I figured it was probably best to not introduce him into the mix of our returned problems when it came to Jake and his alive and well make believe world.

I paid the cab driver, but before I could remove myself from the back seat, Garrett grabbed my arm keeping me in place.

"Wait, look. Over there." I pulled my hand from the door handle and glanced over in the direction Garrett was staring at.

"Fantastic."

It was a damn pap stationed right beside the street sign with his camera's strap draped over his shoulder and his eyes fixated on the entrance of Jake's building.

The last thing I needed to do was give them a reason to keep my name in the news with this bullshit.

My assistant seemed to already have a plan though.

"I'll go distract him." Garrett insisted, already looking pleased with himself.

"Oh, yeah? How do you plan on doing that?"

"I don't know, I'll ask him for the time or something, and then you can run inside. What floor will you be on? I'll meet you up there and wait outside the elevator, just in case you need me."

"I won't need you, but I'll be on the seventeenth floor, three doors from the right of the elevator." Garrett shot his right thumb up in the air, and then quickly got out of the cab without saying another word. I watched silently as he hauled ass towards the scum bag leaning against a light post.

Garrett was pretending to text on his phone while speed walking straight towards the camera wheeling sewer rat.

I couldn't help but smirk at the sight of my assistant as he ran himself directly into the douche, nearly knocking him to the ground on impact. He was now frantically apologizing, talking wildly with his hands, while the pap scurried around him to pick up his camera, and its lens which had popped off during their scuffle.

Quickly, I thanked the driver again, and jumped out of the back seat of the cab to rush into the building, hopefully without being seen.

The ride up to the seventeenth floor seemed to take forever.

This wouldn't be my first heated conversation with Jacob Black, and I was certain it also wouldn't be the last.

While Bella would insist that her life with Jake seemed as though it were a life time ago, for me… some of the time… it still felt like only yesterday.

Sure, most days, Jake and I got along alright. We could joke with one another, have a beer together, and just bullshit given the opportunity, but I'd never once let my guard down over the last few years. Nor had I allowed myself to believe he was one hundred percent over Bella.

That would have been foolish, and I was not a fool.

Jacob Black's biggest mistake in life would always and forever be my greatest gain.

Bella.

For him, the fact that I'd won Bella's eternal love… that would be a bitter pill that would never fully dissolve in the pit of his selfish existence.

I stepped up to his door and firmly knocked three times.

My arms were crossed in front of me as I shifted my weight back, and forth, waiting for Jake to open up.

By now he had to know about the video.

I was sure his own PR team was probably on the verge of dropping his ass, just to avoid the headache of having to deal with his, 'fuck'em all-nothing is ever my fault', attitude.

When the door opened, Jake let out a sarcastic laugh and quickly turned to walk away, "Took you long enough, Cullen. I was expecting you on my door step at the crack of dawn," he called out, over his shoulder, while his legs carried him away from me, towards the kitchen.

I went ahead and took that as my invitation to come inside.

"My apologies, sorry to keep you waiting."

Bella's ex laughed again and shrugged his shoulders without turning around from where he was now standing in front of his opened fridge.

"Beer?"

"No, thanks. I usually don't indulge before noon, and it's barely nine in the morning." I carefully replied while my eyes began scanning his packed up, boxed up apartment.

"Right, right. Well, you'll have to excuse me for starting my own _indulgences_ a wee-bit early this morning. I've got a fairly miserable day ahead of me."

And just like that, I was done playing his games.

"What the hell are you doing, Jake? I mean, are you purposely trying to sabotage your relationship with Leah? Did you learn nothing from what happened with Bella?"

Jake smirked and took another long gulp from his beer bottle. He swallowed the liquid down, while avoiding my eyes, and then slowly made his way past me to take a seat on the couch. His silence was what annoyed me more than anything else. I wanted to slap him upside the head, and then toss his damn beer bottle across the room, but I somehow controlled myself. Instead, I walked around the sofa and took a seat on the bench beside the opened window a few feet away from him while I waited for him to open his mouth again.

"It's funny right… that after all this time, your past can still come back to fuck things up, even when things seem to be going so uncomfortably well? You make a few mistakes, and like that they can define you forever."

I narrowed my eyes and crossed my arms back in front of my chest after leaning myself against the wall behind my seated body. "I'm not sure I know what you're talking about."

Was he actually going to come right out and admit he still had feelings for Bella?

Sure, he was a moron, but he'd always been well calculated in everything he'd ever done or said when it came to my girl and their fucked past.

"I know you're here because of the video." He finally blurted out.

"Yup, I am. You're absolutely right about that, Jake. I am here to find out if what Leah said is true, because if it is true, well then, that must mean you still have it in your head that someday maybe things might go back to the way they were with you and my wife."

Jake smiled and nodded his head before taking another sip from his beer.

"Leah found a box with a bunch of old photo albums and the scrapbooks Bella made while we were together. There were some other random things too... An old shirt of hers, a stuffed animal I won for her over at Coney Island, mixed CD's, and a few other little stupid things."

"Okay."

I honestly didn't know what else to say.

I'd instantly remembered the time Bella had gone to their old apartment to pick up some of her stuff. He'd purposely left all of those things out, along with a letter enclosed in an envelope that had also harbored an engagement ring which he'd bought for her before he'd willfully chosen to break her heart and leave her behind in pieces.

She'd left everything behind on purpose that day.

All of those things held memories from a past she had been desperate to forget about.

"I'd honestly forgotten it was even in there."

"I don't really understand. Why even hold on to any of that in the first place?" I bluntly questioned.

Now that the door was open, I wasn't going to pussyfoot around this.

While I'd always suspected he still had feelings for my wife, I never really considered that he'd kept everything she'd left behind in some kind of keepsake box that he could go sit with in his closet from time to time and do God knows what with.

At first, he said nothing.

He continued to avoid my eyes, and kept his own eyes glued on the television in front of us which was apparently on mute.

The longer he sat there, the more pissed off I started to become.

"I thought we were past this. If you're still harboring these thoughts, that maybe someday you and Bella, my wife, will get back together…"

Jake let out an impulsive laugh, instantly silencing my accusation and then stood up from his seat.

"That's not even what this is about."

"Well enlighten me then, Black, because as of right now, yeah your shits all packed up, but you have nowhere to go. If you think I'm going to let you move into my home…"

"Look! I'm not going to say I don't still love her, because we both know that's not true, and you've always known that, so stop acting like this is earth shattering, game changing news. You never stop loving someone who, at one point, made you their whole world… someone who never gave up on you, even when you'd given up on yourself. A part of me will always hold on to those memories, just like your ex will always hold on to a piece of you, Edward. Leah was over reacting last night. I'm in love her, not Bella. Leah _is_ my future, and I'll make things right between us, but I'm not going to apologize for holding on to the piece of my past that helped me become everything that I am today."

"I don't keep a box of fucked up mementos from my ex stashed away for Bella to find, _Black_." I growled, my fists drawn at my sides as I glared at him.

Jake narrowed his eyes and forcefully set his empty beer bottle on the coffee table in front of him, "No, you have a kid together. Bree will always be your daily remember of the memories you and Jane share. That's the difference, _Cullen_."

I let out a scoff and shook my head. "I really don't have time for this. I have enough shit to deal with today, thanks to you. I'm sorry, Jake, but I'm just not comfortable with you staying in my home. Not after everything that went down last night. The media is going to be all over this, and if you move in… it's only going to keep them interested in the non-story that your fiancé has successfully set a match to when it comes to your complicated, but completed history with my wife."

When Jake looked up, I was surprised by the smile I found on his smug face, "Don't say you're sorry. We both know that's a lie. You can't re-write history, Cullen. That's the beauty of it. Besides, Jasper already called this morning and offered me their guest room. I'm good. No worries."

_Super… so the son of a bitch will still be living right next door._

Not what I'd wanted to hear, but at least he wasn't going to argue with me about living under my roof.

"It's funny, though, you're all concerned about me and my intentions, but in reality I'm not the one you should be worrying about these days. I'm sure you're already well aware of that, though, hence the new shadow in your life."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Before Jake could answer my question, five solid knocks came from the front door causing the both of us to swing our heads towards the other side of the room.

If that was Garrett I was going to have his ass for interrupting us.

Two more knocks came, and Jake slowly made his way towards the door to open it.

I couldn't see who it was from where I was standing, but I heard Jake laugh and make a comment about having the whole gang here.

"Where is he?"

"Come on in, Bella. Oh, and look who's with you… what-a-surprise. Mr. Shadow, in the flesh."

Garrett was already stuttering before he even got through the door, "I-I-I'm so sorry, she got off the elevator and I just…"

"Shut up, Garrett. Edward what the hell is going on? Why are you here? This is not where you told me you were going!" Bella irately yelped, her eyes glaring into mine.

_Fan-fucking-tastic._

I squared my shoulders and crossed my arms back in front of me, "I came to talk to Jake."

"He came here to tell me I was no longer welcome in his house, but it's cool. Jasper and Alice are going to put me up."

Bella looked furious, her eyes tore into me, and her fists were clenched at her sides. "_His_ house? That's funny. All this time, I thought it was OUR house!"

"Bella, please..."

"No! I am a big girl and we've been through this before! I can handle Jacob Black. I don't need you trying to censor my life. We are not going to do this again!"

"I'm not trying to censor anything. You were visibly upset last night, and this morning. I knew it was because of him. You're right about one thing, though; I'm not going to put you back in a position where he has the opportunity to rain bullshit over _our_ lives again. It's just not going to happen."

Bella silently stood there, still glaring at me, still clenching her fists at her sides.

She was obviously trying to decide how she really felt about the situation.

She knew I was right, that it would no longer be an appropriate living arrangement to have Jake staying fifteen steps from our backdoor. Especially now that word was going to spread that they used to have a romantic relationship, and that he was apparently still holding on to pieces of it.

"Look, I'm not trying to start anything here. I'm totally fine with whatever you guys want. Like I said, Jasper offered me a place to stay, so I'm good. All of this was totally blown way out of proportion because my fiancé is a pregnant hormonal mess. I'm sorry if it's caused you any problems, but you have to believe me. It was never my intention to bring all of this shit up again. You can take the stupid box and throw it in the damn dumpster on your way out. It honestly doesn't mean anything to me anymore."

Bella took an abrupt step towards Jake and tilted her head to the side, "What-what box?"

I was in shock over how quickly he'd altered his stance upon seeing her briefly close the gap between them.

Jake let out a frustrated grunt and turned around to head into his bedroom, "The box Leah mentioned in the video that's all over the damn web, Bells."

"I haven't watched the video, Jake. It's not my business."

He turned around to shoot her a quick smirk, obviously appreciating her innocence, and then disappeared around the corner before returning with a medium sized cardboard box in his arms. "It's all our old photos… Some of the scrapbooks you made, and then left behind after moving out and a few other random things, too."

"You- you kept all of this… all this time? Why?"

I suddenly felt as though I were some kind of an outsider looking in during a moment where I didn't belong.

I glanced over at Garrett and found him watching their exchange with a puzzled look on his own face.

"No reason. I just never got around to throwing it all out."

Bella snickered something under her breath and shook her head, "You've moved _three_ times since we broke up, Jake."

He ran his hands brashly through his hair, and then dropped the box at her feet, "Just take the damn thing and get rid of it. I need to get dressed so I can meet Leah at her doctor appointment."

Bella leaned down and slowly peeked inside the box after lifting one of its flaps open in front of her. "So you two are okay?" her voice softly questioned, after she'd carefully raised the cardboard container up into her arms, her eyes still set on everything she was now holding.

"Yeah, we're fine. It wasn't her first breakdown. She's actually had quite a few, and they're always about something different. I've found it's better to not say much, and to just let her get everything out whenever one hits. Which was what I was doing last night, I just didn't take into consideration how it would look to everyone else."

Bella looked up and narrowed her eyes.

Something he had said bothered her, but for some reason she was choosing to stay quiet.

"I really need to get ready, though, or she's going to have my ass again."

I took a step towards my wife and gently placed my hand against her back to start guiding her towards the door.

Garrett was already there holding it open for us.

"No worries about the guest house. I totally understand. I'll stay with Jazz and Alice for a few weeks while I look for a place of my own."

Bella let out a sigh and nodded her head. She knew it was the right thing to do. Jake living so close… it would have been a disaster waiting to happen. Especially if he and Leah were really having problems, which was what it sounded like was going on… still, I somehow knew I needed to better the situation we were now finding ourselves in.

"If things fall through with Jasper, let me know. We can set something up temporarily." I offered, wanting to at least end things on a positive note so Bella wouldn't be totally pissed off at me for the rest of the day.

Yes, it was my fault for not being entirely honest when I'd told her we were going out for a while… and I probably should have known she'd suspect I'd gone to see her ex, but in that moment, all I could think about was confronting him and moving on from this shit.

It had also occurred to me that this was probably what Garrett had been thinking after he'd decided to keep his mouth shut when I'd told him where we were going.

"We should head to the second floor, and then take the stairs down to exit out the back of the building." Garrett spoke up while we'd silently stood in front of the elevator doors.

Bella was standing off to the side, a few feet away from me, still holding the damn box in her arms; even though I'd offered to take it from her.

"The asshole with the camera already saw me going in. Its better he see that I didn't stay long, and that you guys were also here with me." My wife spoke up, just as the elevator opened up to grant us entry.

That possibility hadn't even crossed my mind.

Dealing with Jacob Black had seriously thrown me off my game, and the more apparent that became, the more pissed off I grew.

It wasn't fair to be mad at Bella, though.

She wasn't used to dealing with the paparazzi.

Not to mention, I'd almost forgotten all about their existence myself when we'd first arrived at her ex's building this morning.

If it hadn't been for Garrett's eagle eyes, the douchebag would have also gotten a few shots of me going in just a few minutes before Bella.

"She's right. Let's just get it over with."

Garrett looked unsure about our decision but he stayed quiet, which was exactly what I'd expected him to do.

She was still avoiding my eyes, and it was without a doubt, starting to drive me insane.

If we'd been alone, I would have forced her to say something… anything… but as it was, I didn't want to start an argument minutes before we'd be photographed coming out of Jake's building together.

"Take the box from Bella, Garrett."

"I've got it."

I should have known she was going to be difficult.

"_Give_ the box to Garrett, Bella."

Once the doors had opened to let us out onto the first floor she glared up at me and shoved the stupid thing into my assistant's arms before stomping off the elevator.

I caught up to her and quickly took her hand into mine to pull her off to the side.

"Garrett can you get us a cab? We'll be out in a few minutes. I need to talk to my wife."

He silently nodded his head, and disappeared out onto the street, doing exactly what I had asked of him.

"What's the deal? Why are you so mad at me?"

She looked down at her feet and wrapped her arms in front of her hips after releasing my hand from hers, "You lied to me."

"Not really. I just told you I was heading downtown, and that I'd be back in an hour. It's only been forty minutes, and we're downtown. I didn't lie."

I was smiling, hoping that it might cause her to relax a little, even though I knew better than to think it would be that easy.

"I'm being serious, Edward. I'm really upset that you didn't include me in this. It shouldn't have been just your decision to make. You shouldn't have left me out."

And now I was more than annoyed.

"So, let me get this straight. You didn't get mad when I originally invited him to stay with us, without talking it over with you first, but now you're mad at me for going back and telling him it's no longer an option… because I didn't talk_ that_ over with you first?"

She glared up at me, but said nothing.

_Super._

This was just what I needed.

"Bella, can we please just go home and start this day over? You have every right to be upset with me. I get it, you don't like being kept in the dark, but I know deep down you understand why I did it. In the past, when it's come to deflating your ex from our lives, you've always had a difficult time pulling the plug. You can't be mad at me for taking the appropriate steps, which were obviously needed, in order to insure some boundaries still remained between the two of you."

All I wanted was to get us someplace where we could really talk about things so she would understand that this wasn't about me trying to go behind her back to control, or censor her life.

It was about me looking out for her sanity, and our family.

She turned to look towards the front door, and then ran her hand anxiously through her hair before turning back around to address me.

"No, you're right. Jesus, I don't know what's wrong with me… I was just so mad when I realized where you'd probably gone… it made me think back to all those times when… " Just as those words left her mouth the elevator doors opened behind us and Jake was suddenly there with a surprised look on his face.

"Christ, You guys are still here?"

"We were waiting for Garrett to get us a cab." Bella quickly spoke up, answering his question, after she'd taken my hand firmly into hers.

Jake's eyes glanced down at our intertwined fingers and he slowly nodded his head in response.

"There's a pap out there." I warned, once he'd looked upwards to lock his blank stare with mine.

He smirked in response and began walking towards the door, "Yeah, I figured there would be."

I watched him take in deep breath and reach behind his back to pull a baseball cap out from his back pocket.

He slowly placed the cap over his head, and then gave it two swift tugs at its brim before extending his arms out to push the door open. "At least we'll look like a united front leaving together. That's good, right?"

Garrett was standing about thirty feet away with the cab door already opened for us. The moment we stepped foot outside, the original camera wielding motherfucker already had his lens in our faces, and he'd apparently gotten a few of his buddies together with him.

"Edward! How does it feel to know one of your best friends is in love with your wife?" Someone shouted from behind us. I scoffed at the remark and extended my arm outwards to push through the small group of leeches that had gathered outside of the building.

"Bella! How long did your affair last with Jake Black?"

"Is it true you and Edward have an open marriage?"

"So who fucks better, Bella, the movie star or the rock star?"

Bella froze on impulse, and then slowly turned herself around to look towards the men who had shouted their obscene accusations.

"Don't say anything." I grumbled between my teeth, and then pulled on her arm to keep her moving. I looked over and found her bottom lip tucked between her teeth, with tears already welling up in her eyes.

She looked absolutely terrified and the questions still kept coming.

After getting her into the cab I slide myself in beside her and slammed the door shut. I didn't even look back to see where Jake had gone, or if he'd stopped to give them a statement.

Hopefully he knew better, but I wouldn't have been surprised if he had opted to open his self-centered mouth.

I was so angry, I couldn't even find it in myself to form actual words.

Bella remained still, staring out the cab window, avoiding my eyes, while rocking forward and backwards in her seat.

I looked down at her hands hovering over her lap and found them tugging and pulling at her fingertips and the hem of her vintage Rolling Stones t-shirt.

It was a habit of hers that I hadn't seen since she was pregnant with the twins… A habit that would come out whenever she'd felt as though things were starting to spiral out of her control.

"Is this how it's going to be?" She suddenly questioned, staring out the window. "Are these the things I'll have to hear every day now, all because you've opened yourself up to these assholes and their fucked news stories?"

I didn't know what to say.

Our past was our past, and our beginning was our beginning, but the future was still ours.

Nothing could alter, or change that.

We'd been successful at keeping it all under wraps for this long, but it would have been naïve to think it would last forever.

People had always just assumed that it was me who had been long time friends with Jake.

Not Bella.

No one had ever considered the possibility that it was Bella and Jake who shared a history, but it seemed as though all of that was about to change, and there was no telling what that would bring, or how ugly it would get.

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><p><strong>AN: Okay so I fully expect to get some Bella hate with this chapter. There's more to her reasoning when it comes to why she felt so strongly about Edward going behind her back to see Jake, and that will be revealed within in the next 1-2 chapters. Speaking of Jake, do we buy his excuses? Is he really as innocent as he's trying to play out?**

**... I wonder who filmed that video of Jake and Leah, with the perfect shot and audio... *wink* **

**Next chapter is about 50% written.**

**If you're not still getting alerts for Two Makes Three you may want to set that up. While reviewing old chapters from that story I remembered that I'd started an outtake that shinned some light on Jake and Bella's relationship, pre-Edward. Well I found it on my old lap top and I'm working on cleaning it up to post to TMT. It should go up within the next few days. **

**I'm still working on replying to reviews from the last chapter. A lot of you left comments that deserved an equally detailed response, so it's taken me a little longer than usual. I hope you understand, as I do try to reply to every review I receive. **

****Reviews make me smile.****

***As thanks for making me smile, I'll send an outtake from BPOV, giving you a peek inside of her head during all of this.***

**Thanks for reading! **


	19. Shadows

_Disclaimer: Twilight and its original characters belong to SM. Stalker, his Care Bear, the twins, and Princess Bree belong to me. No copyright infringement is intended with the posting of this story. _

**A/N: So sorry for the delay. RL decided to get in the way of any, and all free time I've had over the last few weeks. I'll spare you the detailed excuses though. So for those who received the outtake from the last chapter, keep in mind that it was from Bella's POV at the beginning of Chapter 18. She's had time to calm down and reflect a little, so her anger has been redirected elsewhere at the start of this chapter (Especially after she and Edward talked a little in the lobby of Jake's building before going out to be verbally attacked by the paps). I received one guest review that was really pretty wonderful, but since it was left as a guest review, I was unable to send the outtake, or thank the reader for their awesome insight. If that was you, please sign in to your account and drop me a PM. **

**Alright, let's get to it then.**

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><p><strong>Shadows<strong>

**Chapter 19**

**~*Bella*~**

I'd been sitting in the kitchen for the last thirty minutes staring at the cardboard box Jake had dropped at my feet in his apartment.

Edward and Garrett had disappeared into the office the second we'd arrived back home, and it had been well over an hour since I'd last seen either one of them. I glanced at the clock that hung over the stove in our kitchen and saw the time flashing back at me as if it were a pestering ticking time bomb waiting to go off.

It was almost twelve, and Esme would be here with the twins in about two to three hours.

I had plenty of time to head down to the park.

Once I was there, I could attempt to work on a sketch, but I knew better than to believe my mind would actually settle down long enough to truly let that happen.

I was terrified I'd come face to face with more paparazzi and their poisonous tongues.

Forcefully, I shook my head four times, desperately attempting to clear my internal ramblings before taking in a deep breath. I silently counted to four and slowly exhaled.

I could hear Edward and Garrett's voices traveling down the hallway. They would round the corner any second and I couldn't let them catch me sitting here, in a silent room, with this _thing_ sitting in front of me, taunting me to further investigate what was actually inside.

Without taking another breath, I quickly moved myself from the counter top, away from the wicked box, and opened the fridge to pull out a bottle of water. When I closed the door, I jumped, finding my husband standing on the other side of it with a half-smile on his face.

He was forcing it, but it was still appreciated.

"Sorry, did I startle you?"

"Yes, but I don't know why. It's not like I didn't hear you coming. This house is so quiet, it's about to drive me crazy." I bashfully admitted while I glanced down at my hand as it turned the cap from the bottle of water I was now holding between us.

"Makes sense you'd be a little jumpy after what happened this morning." Garrett spoke up, instantly earning himself a not so hidden glare from my husband.

"Listen, I need to run out for a little bit, but I'll be back before my mom gets here with the kids. Do you want to come with me? I'm just running over to the office to see Phil. He said he's got something for me, but he needs to hand it over in person. T-minus fifteen hours until I'm entirely yours, Care Bear, without my cellphone turned on during daylight hours for the rest of our time here in the city."

I forced my own smile and considered his offer to tag a long, but that only lasted a few seconds. Ultimately, I shook my head declining his invitation and then took a sip from my water bottle. After swallowing it down, I turned my head to glance out the window that over looked Central Park.

"I think I'd rather stay here and just relax, maybe take that nap I talked about this morning."

I couldn't bring myself to tell him I was actually feeling terrified over the thought of leaving our home again today. That would only make him insist that I come along in an attempt to 'prove' there was nothing to be nervous about, and that I needed to carry on without hiding behind closed doors.

"Okay. I'll be quick. Garrett, finish sending out those emails, after that you can take an hour lunch."

"No problem bozzz… Mr. C."

I smirked at Garrett's almost slip of the 'b' word, and then leaned in to kiss my husband goodbye. I was still upset with him over the situation we were now in, but deep down I knew I held just as much blame. If it hadn't been for my royal screw up three years ago, then mine and Jake's past wouldn't even be worth talking about.

"Love you, baby."

I whispered a soft, 'love you, too', and slowly followed my husband towards the door to see him out. When I got back to the living room Garrett was already gone.

This was good because I was still more than a little pissed at him for letting Edward go to Jake's without telling me.

My fingers had been twitching to do a quick Google search of my name, paired with Jake's, but I was doing everything in my power to prevent that from happening. I knew better. I would only get more upset, and that wouldn't solve anything. It was better to be left in the dark when it came to just how deep things actually were, but at the same time… my imagination was starting to take over with all of the worst case scenario possibilities.

The fact that a scum-bag pap had gotten some kind of a tip that Jake and I had once been romantically involved, and that it over lapped during my time with Edward… well, if he knew that much, there was no telling what else had started to float around.

I sat myself back down at the counter and took a small bite from the turkey sandwich I'd made just before all of my daydreaming had taken over. My eyes quickly fixated themselves onto the box that was now, once again, within reach from where I was sitting.

Its shadows under the closed flaps were back to taunting me, whispering my name.

It was begging to be opened… explored… sorted through... and then possibly burned.

I took another bite of meat and cheese and carefully leaned over to casually slide the box closer towards me. Without looking in, I grabbed the first thing my hand touched and pulled it out. It was the scrapbook I'd made with Alice the summer before Jake and I split up.

The last scrapbook I'd ever made… before Jake and I split up.

I opened its cover and smiled to myself upon seeing a picture of Alice and I. We were sitting on a bench at Ellis Island with cheesy Statue of Liberty hats placed over our heads. Jasper was kneeling behind us with a goofy smile on his face, giving Alice bunny ears, and Jake had his arms draped over me, hugging my body firmly into his. Sam had taken the photo. The whole gang had been there that day, and it was probably one of the last pleasant memories I had from that time in my life.

I never could have imagined how drastically my world would change only three months later.

My fingers continued to flip through the overly decorated pages with tacky amounts of glitter and ribbon that littered the borders and framed the camera captured images.

I'd included several sketches mixed in with the actual photographs.

Memories that hadn't been captured on film, but ones that, at that time, I'd never wanted to forget.

I stopped on a page with a large photo of Jake sitting on the roof of our old building with his guitar in his lap and his dazzling smile on his face; his eyes sealed shut as his fingers hovered over its strings. At the bottom, in the right corner of the same page, was a picture of me. I was lying on my belly, also up on the roof top, wearing nothing but a string bikini and a sketch pad opened up in front of me.

I closed my eyes, instantly remembering what the next day had brought with its sunrise.

The call that morning had come from Paul.

He'd notified Jake that they'd 'finally' lined up their first 'real' multi-week indie tour down the east coast.

The phone had rung just after eight that morning.

I remembered the time because I'd also just served Jake breakfast in bed and we were snuggling up together getting ready to eat, and watch our favorite Saturday morning cartoons.

I also remembered being unreasonably hurt and also pretty upset because the 'tour' was going to take him away during my birthday.

Jake had wiped my tears away with his finger, and he'd instantly told me we would have a life time of birthdays together… That him going away wouldn't change anything... That he would make it up to me and we would celebrate by him taking me away on a ridiculously romantic get-a-way, deep in the country once he'd returned.

But those had been his first lies.

Shortly after that phone call, things _did_ start to change.

He started staying out late.

The band began practicing more… and Jake seemed less and less interested in me and what my day would have consisted of.

He'd constantly fall asleep at Paul's, when they would get together for late night practices, and I wouldn't even hear from him until the next day.

Every day that passed, I felt as though he were distancing himself further and further away from me… from us… even though with every day that passed, he would still insist that things would only get better as long as I continued to support him, and be the 'good girlfriend'.

Without thinking, I impulsively swept the cursed book off the counter, sending it across the room, and down onto the floor with a loud echoing crash. Pages flew everywhere. That's when the unwanted tears began to form in my eyes. I turned to find the box, still filled with god knows what else, and then pushed it off the counter to join the mess that was now scattered all across the room.

Why these memories still haunted me, I'd never understand, but there was a reason I hadn't taken these books with me the day I'd moved out of our shared apartment. I didn't want them. I didn't need the reminders of where we had been, and how far we had fallen when everything had seemed so right and… perfect. I didn't need to see that even the greatest things in life could be easily shattered with the simple whisper of a few damning words.

"Bella, are you okay? What was that noise?"

I took in a swift breath and turned my body to avoid Garrett's questioning eyes. I didn't want him to see me upset over my asshole of an ex and the memories that would apparently always haunt me when it came to our sudden demise.

"Nothing, I um, there was a spider so I,"

"So you chucked a box of bullshit at it?"

I tilted my head upwards to look in his general direction, but offered no other verbal explanation. Instead, I quickly began shuffling everything that had fallen out onto the floor back into the container I'd just sent off the counter a few seconds ago.

He was grinning and the look on his face was thankfully contagious. I could feel some of the anxiety instantly leave my body as he kneeled down beside me to help clean up the mess I had made.

"It was a _really_ big spider."

"I bet it was… probably _black_ with over the top, intense, beady brown eyes, too."

I let out a scoff, but said nothing. I already knew he was well aware of what had actually happened, so it was pointless to try and deny what was really going on.

"It just doesn't make sense… but then it does. When I really look back at what happened, and how it happened, what caused it all to crumble… everything becomes much clearer. I just don't get why he'd allow it all to happen again, though."

"What do you mean?"

"Why he seems to be pushing Leah away when everything was so on track and they were doing so good… why he's held onto all of this, all this time, when he's had someone like her in his life. Why he's sabotaging everything else that's good in his goddamn life without even considering what it might do to others… AGAIN!"

Garrett shrugged and dropped another stack of photos into the box, "Who knows. All I do know, though, is that it's not your problem, so you shouldn't be sitting in here letting it ruin your day, Bella."

I picked up a black and white composition book that I'd never seen before and slowly opened it up. Jake's handwriting was scribbled all over its pages, but I didn't keep it open long enough to actually make out any of the scripted words. Instead, I slammed it shut and threw it at Garrett.

"Can we burn that please?"

He laughed and slowly opened it back up.

I felt my heart plummet into my stomach, "Don't read it!"

"Why? What is it, his Diary?" I watched on as Garrett's eyes continued to scan the pages. The few words I had made out told me whatever it was he'd written about, it had a lot to do with me. "I think they're song lyrics."

"Jake doesn't write lyrics."

"We'll then, its poetry." Garrett let out a low, 'huh', and then scratched the top of his head. "It's not too bad either… pretty catchy stuff."

I refused to read it.

"Give it to me." I snatched the book from his hand and tossed it back into the box. "Enough. It's going into the trash with everything else."

"Good call. I can take it down to the dump if you want?"

I instantly shook my head, not wanting to accept his offer, or even take the time to think it over. "No. I'll do it later."

He smiled and nodded his head before reaching out to tuck a strand of my hair back behind my ear. He wiped a fresh tear from my cheek with his index finger and forced a smile from his lips. "All of this will blow over. You really shouldn't let it get to you. The paps will get bored when they realize there's no story, and they'll move on to something else. It's honestly not the end of the world, Bella."

I nodded my head and closed my eyes in order to fight back the returning tears that were now knocking behind my inner walls. "I don't know why it's bothering me as much as it is."

"Oh, I have a theory, but it's fairly blunt, so I'm not sure it's something you'll want to hear today."

Garrett's tone was soft, but also honest and filled with apprehension.

It told me that he was most likely right.

I probably didn't want to hear his theory, or the reasoning that went along with it.

"Maybe another day. I just want to forget the last twenty-four hours and move on to something more pleasant."

Garrett lifted the box up from the floor and quickly made his way across the room towards the linen closet beside the hallway. I watched him open it and toss the cursed container into the back, then slam the door shut before making his way back towards me.

"Come on."

I narrowed my eyes and crossed my arms in front of me.

"Move your ass, woman! Go get your sketch bag. We're heading out." He finally added after I didn't budge.

"Um, out where?"

"We're going to your spot in the park. I know you have one; you've mentioned it in the past, and I've seen you glance out that window at least six times in the last four minutes. Let's go. I've got an hour lunch break to kill, and you need something else to think about besides your asshole ex."

I took in a deep breath and for a few long seconds I actually considered his suggestion.

Drawing was the best kind of medicine when it came to rambling thoughts spinning out of control in my head, but the idea of being seen and further harassed…

"I won't take 'no' for an answer. Go get some sun glasses and a hat. I'll do the same. No one will follow us. I promise." He softly ordered, as if reading my mind. I smirked on impulse and let out a brash huff before turning myself around to hurry down the hallway in order to grab my now much needed disguise.

Today really would be my only chance to head over into the park with the sole purpose of sketching.

Sure, Edward would be free for the remainder of our stay after tonight, but I wouldn't want to waste any of our time together with me hiding out under my safe place, all alone, while he stayed back with the kids.

My nerves were shot, though, when I considered telling Garrett to stay behind so I'd be able to go alone.

I knew I'd crumble the moment someone cornered me on the street with obscenely personal questions that crossed all kinds of humanistic socially acceptable boundaries.

I would need a shadow today… if only for the first hour in order to help me get to where I needed to be, I would need Garrett to tag along.

After donning my hat and sunglasses I grabbed two new bottles of water from the fridge. I tossed one to my art buddy and then gestured with a nod from my head that we head out the front door.

Our elevator ride, down to the ground floor, was silent and I appreciated that. I sent Edward a quick text letting him know that his assistant I would be heading to my usual spot beside the big oak tree that I'd grown up under, sketching and painting with my parents on an almost daily basis until the day they'd died.

Once the metal doors opened, Garrett instantly began to exit the building, but I paused and then found myself unable to move. When the elevator doors began to shut between the two of us my shadow extended his arm out to stop them and gave me a careful smile.

"Need a piggyback ride?"

I rolled my eyes and pushed passed him. "What if they're out there waiting?" I questioned.

"If they are, you keep walking. Act as if they're speaking another language, and that you can't be bothered by their unfortunate existence. We'll lose them one way or another, because we both know they're not the brightest crayons in the box."

I let out a light laugh and nodded my head after processing his instructions. My feet, however, were still frozen on the marble ground.

"For what it's worth, I made a quick call down stairs and the doorman did a thorough scan for me. He gave us the all clear, so we shouldn't have any problems."

I looked up at Garrett and smiled. He'd really thought this out and that actually meant more to me than I'd ever be able to let him know.

"Thank you."

"I considered it part of my job, taking care of the boss man's wife and all."

"You know better than to call him the b-word." I playfully reminded before following him out the door with me literally at his heels. "By the way… I think I owe you an apology. I wasn't very nice at Jake's. The things I said to you in the hallway… you didn't deserve that. You were just doing your job. I shouldn't have asked you to take sides."

"You didn't ask me to pick a side. You just pointed out the reality of things. I have to wear a lot of hats when it comes to my professional life, and my not so professional life. Your words were dually noted, and I absolutely understand that now. I promise to find a happy medium. No worries. We're good, Bella."

I forced a half smile and nodded. I'd been hard on him when I'd caught him standing guard outside of my ex's door. That being said, it was nice to know he understood why. It made me feel so much better knowing he would try to use better judgment in the future when it came to handling my husband and his impulsive ways.

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><p>When we got to the park, I directed Garrett where we'd need to go, but aside from that there was very little conversation between us. Edward had sent me a text back letting me know that he'd spoken with his mom and had arranged for us to all meet up for dinner tonight at Charlie's, so I'd have the rest of the day to just relax without any real responsibility. He also let me know that he'd meet Garrett and I in the park, so there was no rush for my shadow to get back to his paying gig, which would have meant leaving me unattended.<p>

Shortly after receiving my text, I noticed Garrett casually check his own phone. I could only assume it was Edward instructing him to not let me out of his sight, and to make sure I was okay while he was across town. I didn't question him about it. I knew better than to think Garrett would actually tell me he was now being paid to babysit me.

As we neared my tree I could feel a truer smile slowly creep across my face.

For the first time since arriving back in New York, I truly felt as if I were home.

Seeing its thick branches reaching up towards the sky in the distance was enough to send a single tear past my lashes and down my cheek. My feet instantly began carrying me a little faster, and before I knew it, I was a good twenty steps ahead of Garrett.

My tree was about thirty feet off the paved pathway, so there was no one else around as my fingers reached out to trace the heart my father had carved into its trunk with a pocket knife one summer morning when I was about six. My mother's initials where whittled beside his own with the letters AAF at the bottom center of the heart.

I turned my head to look upwards towards the tallest branch. Edward had scared me half to death when he'd climbed onto it just two summers ago, shortly after the birth of the twins.

He'd engrave our own initials onto my tree that afternoon, and our own heart was still there.

As insane as it sounded… it almost seemed as though the sun had sent a single beam of light down from the heavens to highlight it, thus creating an even bigger smile on my face.

"So this is it… _the_ tree. Does it talk like Grandmother Willow from Pocahontas?"

I laughed and turned myself around to face Garrett. "That comment would have earned you all kinds of brownie points from Bree." I teased before slowly sitting myself down to lean my back against the trunk of my safe place.

"She's rubbing off on me. I have to admit I'm actually missing her chaos."

"Me, too," I laughed as I reached into my bag to pull out my larger sketch pad and charcoal pencils. "She's the second best kind of distraction when it comes to a gloomy reality."

Garrett took a seat a few feet away from me and carefully began taking out his own things, but said nothing else. I scanned our surroundings, wanting to case the area for any nosey assholes. Thankfully, I didn't see anyone, or anything out of the ordinary.

"Got something in mind?"

I glanced over at Garrett and found him looking right at me with his pencil tapping his chin.

"No idea. What about you?"

He shrugged and looked back down at his paper, "Something's been on my brain, but…"

"But you're not going to tell me, or show me, so I'm not even sure why I bothered asking." I spoke up, quickly cutting him off with a smirk.

"All in due time, my lady."

I rolled my eyes and snickered a soft, 'jerk-face', under my breath before extending my legs out in front of me.

"How about a challenge then, neither of us works on a piece for the show. Instead, let's draw something totally just for fun. We'll trade in ten minutes, and then add on to each other's drawing?" I suggested, already feeling excited over the opportunity to just draw without any real purpose for once.

"Okay, challenge accepted."

I smiled and shook my head after glancing down at my phone to set a timer.

"Ten minutes. No rules, just keep your pencil moving until the chimes on my phone start up." I instructed as I flipped my book open to a brand new page. He shot his right thumb up into the air and I watched his eyes redirect themselves onto the white paper that was now resting in his lap.

The moment I started, it was as if a weight had been lifted from my shoulders. I could feel the tension rise up from my body to join the clouds that were floating above us just below the bright sun.

I didn't over think what I wanted to do.

I just did it.

I began tracing the outline of my tree with the playground in the background which stood about a hundred feet from where we were now sitting. I continued to add several other trees that surrounded us, and then some random details like park benches and birds congregating at a nearby water fountain where a puddle had formed at its base. Once that was finished I redirected my attention onto the clouds I'd drawn above the trees. I smiled as I began the delicate features of my mother's face looking down at the going-on's in the park. Once her image was practically complete, I carefully added the face of the man who had raised me from the day I was born until the day he had died, as if I were his own flesh and blood. Before I knew it, my phone was vibrating and the sounds of wind chimes were invading my ears. I looked up and found Garrett still moving his pencil with reverent speed across his paper.

I tried to lean over and steal a peek, but he quickly closed the cover to his book and smiled up at me.

"Cheater, cheater, pumpkin eater."

I stuck my tongue out at him and offered my own book towards his extended arm. He followed my lead and placed his into my empty opened hand and then leaned back to grin in my direction. "Those ten minutes went by fast."

"You should try five minutes. That's when things really get interesting," A familiar new voice suddenly added to our conversation.

I whipped my head around and felt all my anxiety quickly return.

"Bella and I used to play this game all the time. Didn't we, Bells?"

My mouth was opened, but no words were forming. This would have been my second worst case scenario coming true.

The one I hadn't even taken the time to consider becoming a reality.

For him to know what we were doing, here under my tree, after we'd exchanged our sketch pads, he'd obviously been watching us for a little while.

When I said nothing, he ran his hand nervously through his hair and then slowly lowered himself down to the ground to take a seat beside me. "Sorry if I'm interrupting some special bonding time between you and your new babysitter… I just figured you'd be here so I…"

"What do you want, Jake?" Garrett firmly questioned, with authority clearly in his tone.

"This, my friend, has got nothing to do with you... well actually it does a little, but I'm here to talk to Bella. You can stay, though, as long as you remain quiet while we grownups talk. After all, I'm sure Edward will want a play by play."

I wasn't sure what had occurred since Jake and I had parted ways earlier this morning, but there was definitely something different about him. He wasn't his cool collected self anymore. There was fire in his eyes and he'd clearly come here with a purpose.

"Edward will be here any minute." I lied, hoping it would cause him to fast forward through whatever it was that had brought him here, looking for me.

"I'm sure he will be. I'll make this quick."

"And I'm sure Bella is used to things being quick whenever you're involved… aside from you cutting the cord you've so obviously superglued to her existence." Garrett mumbled, just loud enough for my ex to hear.

I hid my smirk to the best of my ability, but it didn't matter. Jake was already on his feet in a challenging stance with his fists out at his sides and his nostrils flaring.

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><p><strong>AN: Yup, leaving you there on the edge of a cliff. **

**If you got the outtake from the last chapter then you know what went down between Bella and Garrett outside of Jake's apartment. If you didn't, well I'll post that when the story is complete with the rest of the outtakes I've written... or you can go back and leave a review for CH 18. ;)**

**What's going on with Jake now? Dun, dun, dunnnnnn! Would love to hear your thoughts. **

**~~~Reviews make me smile! I like to smile!~~~**


	20. Here We Go Again

_Disclaimer: Twilight and its original characters belong to SM. Stalker, his Care Bear, the twins, and Princess Bree belong to me. No copyright infringement is intended with the posting of this story._

**A/N: Happy Friday! This chapter should have gone up hours ago, but my internet decided to crap out on me just as I was uploading, so my apologies. **

**Anyways, on to some rather exciting news; TMT was reviewed by Prachi Bhuptani over on Ms. Swan's Bookstore this past weekend and the amount of traffic my stories have received since then has been amazing! Major thanks goes out to the girls who run that blog, and to Mina who created a gorgeous new banner for Two Makes Three. Welcome to all the new readers, too! I hope you'll all stick around.**

**As always, I also have to extend some major love to my beta, myonlyheroin, because she rocks beyond belief, and she never holds my dislike for comma's over my head. ;)**

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><p><strong>Here We Go Again<strong>

**Chapter 20**

**~*Bella*~**

Everything was happening so fast, and sudden, I could hardly process the scene that was playing out in front of me. Garrett was on his feet now, mirroring Jake's stance, after he'd dropped my sketch pad down towards the ground beside me.

I looked back and forth between the two of them and let out a frustrated grunt. "Stop it! Both of you! What's going on? Why are you here? Why were you looking for me and why wouldn't you just call?"

Jake redirected his attention back onto me, and I saw his shoulders relax almost instantly, which in turn allowed me to do the same. "I left my phone at home." He grumbled. "This stop was on the way back home, so I figured I'd take a chance."

My eyes scanned him up and down. I reached out to place my hand on Garrett's arm and whispered softly that I was okay and that he should leave us to talk. He looked unsure, and then shook his head. I already knew an argument would follow.

"Edward wouldn't want me leaving you,"

"I'm fine, Garrett. I'm actually kind of hungry. Go get us a pretzel, or something. Just give us five minutes." I insisted, looking directly into his eyes so he'd see the honesty in my own.

He let out a loud sigh and crossed his arms in front of his chest. "I guess this is that happy medium I promised you."

I smiled and nodded my head, silently agreeing with him.

"Fine, I'll be back in five minutes."

He turned to leave Jake and I under the tree, and I thankfully felt a bit more relaxed as I watched him walk away.

"Sit." I firmly prompted after turning around to look into Jake's fired up stare.

There was some hesitation, but within seconds he followed my cue while mumbling something under his breath. I watched him run both of his hands aggressively through his hair after he'd clenched his eyes shut and waited for him to say something, but nothing came.

"What's wrong? What happened?"

"She's gone, Bella."

"Who? Leah? What do you mean, _gone_?"

He shook his head again and impulsively grabbed at the grass beside his knees to pull fists full up from the soil. I continued to watch as he began folding the blades and lining them up in an organized row across his leg.

I knew what would come next.

He used to make chains of grass all the time when we'd come here and he'd keep me company while I'd doodle.

"She didn't show up for her doctor's appointment… I waited, and then… when I finally went up to the receptionist, she told me Leah had called this morning to cancel her appointment. Since I'd left my phone, I asked to borrow theirs. When I called her, she answered, but apparently she only answered because she saw the doctor's number on the caller I.D. After she heard my voice the line went dead. So I called again, and then her dad answered."

My mouth dropped open. Leah's parents didn't live in the city. They didn't even live in New York, so for her dad to answer her phone… she'd totally skipped town.

"She flew home first thing this morning and didn't even tell me. She doesn't know when, or even if she will be coming back. I can't do this again. I can't, Bells." I could see the tears forming in his eyes just before he'd looked away to hide his crumbling emotions.

"Jake, calm down. She can't just take off with your baby, you might be an ass at times, but you have rights, too."

_Wow… did I really just say that out loud? _

The memories of Jake interfering during my own pregnancy quickly came crashing down on me like a violent wave during a strong storm.

I'd been in Leah's shoes before.

I knew what it was like to be pregnant and have to deal with Jake's manic mood swings, and selfish moments.

I, without a doubt, understood why she would feel the need to just get away for a while, so for me to say what I'd just said and give Jake hope… well, it just didn't make sense. My brain had obviously suffered a major stutter, but now it was too late to take it back.

"That's what I told her dad. He said she needs some time to figure things out, and that I should give her some space."

I was at a loss for words. Now that I'd actually processed what he was saying… now that I'd taken the time to place myself in his fiancé's shoes, I absolutely understood why she'd taken off without telling him.

I knew what Jake needed to hear, and I knew he needed to hear it from someone who had been down this road with him before.

"Give her some space, Jacob."

His eyes instantly narrowed and he shook his head, "No. I gave you space and look what happened to us. I lost you forever. I already told you I'm not going to let this happen again!"

"What happened with us was different. You gave me space before I was pregnant, and I was pregnant with someone else's children."

"You hiccupped though. They could have been mine… we didn't know." His words had been spoken softly, but I'd still heard them crystal clear.

"It wouldn't have mattered. Even if they had been yours, nothing would have changed. It was too late for us. Something's aren't meant to be, and our relationship was one of those things."

He ran his hands back through his hair; processing what I'd just said. During his silence, I took the opportunity to scan our surroundings again. My eyes paid extra attention to the areas with thick brush and wide based trees but it still seemed as though we weren't being spied upon. I saw Garrett about a hundred yards away looking down at his phone. I was already certain he'd sent Edward a text informing him of the situation.

"You have to help me, Bells. I have to get her back."

I looked at him as if he'd just asked me for a kidney. Had he lost his mind? I was obviously the last person in the world Leah would want to see on her parent's door step standing beside her fiancé.

"That's… Jacob, that's not something I can help you with. It's not my place, and with everything already floating around about us… it would just give them more of a reason to keep our names in the headlines. You don't need me to hold your hand. No… I can't keep holding your hand, Jake. If you're going to go after her, you have to do it on your own! Trust me, it will mean more to her if I stay away and you fight for her the way I know she's hoping you will. "

He looked annoyed that I hadn't automatically agreed to help him in whatever way possible, but I wasn't going to back down from this. It wasn't my place, and he needed to accept and understand that. In fact, him thinking I should be involved in any of this was the exact reason he was now in this situation.

Apparently, I'd gotten so comfortable with us being friends again that I hadn't even noticed the red flags when we'd started falling into our old routine of him depending on me, and making me his crutch to help him get through the harder moments in life.

"But,"

"No. No 'buts', this is your life, with the woman you love. A woman who is carrying your child. I can't do this with you. You have to be the grown up Jake. You have to take responsibility for your actions, and you have to assure her that you're in this for the long haul."

He was staring right at me, his eyes jetting side to side and up and down, but still never focusing on anything but me.

"Fine, but, there's something else I need to tell you before you send me on my damn way."

"Is this the 'something' that has to do with my new friend?" I spoke up, already knowing where he was going with this. "Garrett is just that. He's my friend. Just like you and I are friends. You don't need to say anything else."

Jake rolled his eyes and shook his head, "Bella, you told me someone had made a pass at you, that there was someone interested. I remember that conversation like it was yesterday, and I know it was him that you were referring to that day."

"Garrett's a flirt. It's who he is, but it doesn't make him dangerous. I was a bartender remember? I can handle myself just fine around the opposite sex."

Jake released a sarcastic laugh and shook his head again. "Your life isn't as easy as it was last year, Bells. Things have changed… they're going to continue to change. I've been there, and I can see it happening. Just please… be careful. I'm saying this _as_ a friend, keep your guard up because believe me, he's waiting for it to go down."

I could see Garrett making his way back towards us. His eyes were still set on his phone, but he would be within hearing distance in just a few seconds.

"Thanks to you, Jake, I've gotten to be pretty good at keeping my guard up. I appreciate the concern, but my relationship with my husband is just fine. Even though it was something _you_ had a difficult time with, I myself am able to have friends, and remain faithful."

"Aside from that one time,"

"You and I… _We _were not friends when that happened. You caught me at a vulnerable moment. Nothing more, nothing less, and besides, Edward and I… we weren't in a committed relationship when I made that monstrous mistake." I insisted, speaking as quickly as my tongue would allow. Garrett's eyes were on me now, and he'd slowed down his pace to apparently give us a little more time.

"Okay, whatever you have to tell yourself. Just be careful, I don't trust him."

"I wouldn't expect you to. Just worry about you, okay? Go get Leah, make things right and start building a happy home for your family. I'm fine. I promise."

"There's one more thing, and this is what you'll want to share with Edward. I had Paul look into that video that's up on YouTube and you know that hacker buddy of his, Tyler?"

I narrowed my eyes and crossed my arms in front of my chest as I prepared myself for what was coming next. "Yeah, I remember him."

"He traced it back and whoever put it up on the web, it came from an email address attached to the server at Edward's firm."

My mouth dropped open. There was no way Edward would have done something like this, so I knew that wasn't what he was insinuating, but the idea that it was an inside job… that was enough to knock the wind out of me. That room had been full of people, and at least a quarter of them were with Edward's firm so it could have been anyone, but who would risk their entire career to do something so cowardly?

That's when it hit me.

_James._

I'd caught him coming out of that locked room… he'd known exactly where Leah and Jake were when I'd told him who I was looking for, and he'd known they'd been arguing. It made perfect sense.

"I'll tell Edward. Thank you for letting me know."

"No problem. One last hug before I hit the road?"

I let out a sigh and nodded before extending my arms out and standing on my toes to embrace my ex.

"I'll see you soon. Not sure when I'll be able to head out west now, but when I know I'll hit you up."

All of the sudden I felt as though I was going to be sick to my stomach.

Jake also seemed to notice, "You okay?"

"Yeah… must be something I ate. I need to get home. Let me know how it goes with Leah when you get to her. Take care, Jake." I waved one final farewell and then quickly began packing up my things. I saw my ex share a few words with Garrett, but I was too busy concentrating on settling my stomach down to try and read their lips.

Once my shadow had returned I quickly told him what was up and then sent Edward a text to let him know we were heading back to the apartment.

"You sure you don't want to make a pit stop at one of the restrooms?" Garrett suggested just before we headed out of the park.

"No, I'd rather not puke into a public toilet." I mumbled as my arms wrapped themselves around my midsection. Jake's information had apparently tied my stomach into knots and I had no idea how I would tell Edward that it was someone he worked with that had turned our marriage into gossip worthy news for all the world to discuss.

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><p>When we got back home, I quickly made my way into the master bathroom, and in the words of Queen Else, I let it go.<p>

It was a miracle I'd managed to keep it together the way I had, but now that we were home and I was locked behind a closed door it seemed as though everything I'd put into my stomach today had big plans to force its way back out.

"Bella? Edward just called; he'll be here in about five minutes. Can I get you anything?" Garrett questioned on the other side of the door. I let out a sigh and reached over to open up.

"I'm okay. I actually feel much better now." I replied, just above a whisper. The look on Garrett's face, though, instantly told me he wasn't buying my story.

"Why don't you lie down for a while? At least until Edward gets home. You've had a pretty insane day. I shouldn't have forced you to go out."

I heard the security alarm beep from the hallway and felt a smile form on my face, "He's home. No need for rest and no worries about making me go out. I'm glad I went. It was nice to spend sometime in the park with my sketch pad." I quickly replied as I slowly stood myself up.

"Bella?"

"We're in here." Garrett shouted back as I passed him in the doorway. I hadn't come up with a plan on how I'd tell Edward there was a traitor amongst his coworkers, but I knew I needed to come up with a better excuse for my sudden stress induced nausea, and fast.

"Baby, I got here as fast as I could. Are you okay? Garrett can you go get her some water?"

"I'm fine. The meat must have been bad in the sandwich I made earlier. I should probably go throw it out before the twins get into it." It was a lame excuse, but it would have to do. I needed to feel out his mood before I told him about Jake's discovery. My own anxiety wouldn't be able to handle an irate husband at the moment.

"There weren't any more paps were there?"

"No, no one bothered her except her ex." Garrett quickly spoke up from behind us while Edward guided me towards our bed.

"Jesus, Jake wasn't bothering me… Garrett, can you please give us a minute?"

"I'll meet you in my office." Edward added on to my request, which really wasn't much of a request, but more of an order.

Once we were alone I let myself fall backwards onto the bed and let out a loud sigh after closing my eyes.

"Leah left Jake. She just took off and left town without even telling him. He's a wreck, but I sent him after her. He wanted me to come… he's nuts, you don't have to say it, I already know. I told him this was something he needed to do on his own."

Edward let out a sarcastic laugh and took a seat beside me. He pulled my legs up over his lap and began messaging my feet while he considered his response very carefully in his head.

"It was probably good for her to leave, with everything going on... Smart move on your part to send him after her, too. It will make it harder for the pap's to harass them. How are you feeling now? Still sick to your stomach?" His hand reached up to graze the side of my cheek and he rested his palm over my forehead as if checking for a fever.

"I'm fine, really." I tried to insist, but he narrowed his eyes and then nervously cleared his throat. My brow raised in reaction, because I knew something was coming. Something that I probably wouldn't like.

"Listen… I was on the phone with Alice when Garrett's call came in. I had my cell on speaker, so she overheard our conversation. She said something which got me to thinking." He paused to take in a deep breath and I sat up straighter over our mattress.

"Look, I have to ask and I don't want you to freak out, but well… she brought it up as a joke and she really didn't even think anything of it but then I did and… do you think… I mean is it a possibility that maybe… because you've been saying how tired you are, and now this… Jesus, this day's already been so bizarre I can't even believe this is an actual possibility."

I looked up into my husband's eyes and noticed how serious his expression had turned, and also how pale his complexion had become. There was honestly no telling what Alice had said, because she was constantly speaking without thinking, and then usually regretting it later.

But then it hit me… just as another wave of nausea also punched me in the gut.

I jumped up off the bed and sprinted for the bathroom, making it just in time to dry heave in front of the toilet while tears began to run down my face.

"No, no, no, no!" I was on the floor now sobbing into my open hands. This couldn't be happening. Not now. Not again. Not so soon! We'd been so careful! I had a damn IUD, no more stupid pills to keep track of! This wasn't supposed to happen!

I heard Edward coming towards the bathroom, but didn't bother looking up. I felt like the world's biggest asshole for reacting this way, but I couldn't help it, and apparently for good reason. I was a hormonal mess.

"I stopped and bought a test on the way home. I figured… I don't know. Bella, Jesus, why are you crying?" He asked once he'd passed through the door way to find me on the floor.

"I don't want… I can't be… it's too soon! The twins aren't even totally out of diapers yet, and I have all the gallery stuff happening, and you're going to be away promoting your movie, and then filming in New Orleans!" I cried heavily, still avoiding his eyes. He quickly positioned himself on the floor beside me and pulled me up into his lap to wrap his arms around my trembling body.

"Bella, please calm down. We don't even know if you're pregnant yet, and if you are, we will figure it out."

I shook my head, not wanting to accept that this was even a possible reality.

"Are you late?"

I nodded, but said nothing. I was technically more than a few weeks late; but I also hadn't had a regular period since I'd given birth to the twins. So honestly, I never really paid much attention to when, or even if my monthly friend would decide to show up.

"Just give me the stupid test." I mumbled as I stood up from his lap. I pulled my hair back and tied it up at the top of my head and then held my hand out to take the small box he'd had stashed away in his back pocket.

He hesitated to leave me in the bathroom, so I silently shooed him out and then closed the door behind him. I turned around to face my broken reflection in the mirror and carefully opened the cardboard box.

_Super. _

Another cursed box had apparently inserted itself into our insane day, only this one had the potential to actually be life changing.

My hand fiddled with the plastic stick, flipping it over and over and then back and forth between my fingers.

"This could quite possibly be one of the worst days of my life." I whispered to myself, and then felt an enormous amount of guilt sweep over me. I let out a sigh and sat myself down over the toilet to perform the same task I'd done a few years ago with Alice back in California.

It didn't even take thirty seconds.

The word 'PREGNANT' flashed onto the digital screen almost immediately, and I now felt as though the entire room had just tilted onto its side.

I took in a deep breath and firmly closed my eyes as I slowly exhaled between my pursed lips.

There was new life growing inside of me.

I lunged for the toilet and threw up once more.

Edward knocked, and I heard the door click open again.

"Baby, can I come in?"

I grunted a low, 'uh-huh' and carefully stood up before wiping my mouth with the towel I'd rested beside the sink. In my other hand I was still grasping the digital stick that had just altered our family's future.

"Well?"

"_Well_, here we go again." I mumbled, unable to look him in the eyes.

He took the test from my hand, after prying my fingers opened, and held it for a few solid seconds before dropped it into the sink to lift me up off my feet and spin me around.

"This is amazing news! I know you're scared, but I don't want you to be. It might be a little sooner than we'd hoped for, but we're absolutely ready for this."

After looking down into his beaming expression it was hard to not smile. He was the happiest I'd seen him all week, and it was nice to know I had something to do with it.

"Do you know what the best part is?" he suddenly asked when I'd remained silent. "There's no questioning who the father is this time. You'll have the most stress free pregnancy and I'll make sure of that. Whatever you need, whatever you want, whenever you want it! No bullshit this time from Jacob fucking Black!"

I had to smile over his enthusiasm. Everything still seemed insanely surreal though.

I was pregnant.

This was happening.

This was _really_ happening.

"Oh God, what if it's twins again?" Fresh tears were now streaming down my face as that thought processed in my hormonal mind.

"Care Bear!" Edward laughed. I glared at him and gave him a light shove from my hands.

"Don't you dare laugh at me! You didn't have to carry two around in your stomach for almost nine months! Can you even imagine having another set? I think I'll die if that's what the doctor finds."

When I looked up and found him staring at me with his eyes wide and his lips pressed tightly together, I knew he was fighting back another laugh.

"Stop it!"

"What, I'm sorry! I'm over the moon excited about this; I wish you would be, too."

I frowned and impulsively touched my belly with my right hand, "I'm just… I wanted the next time to be more planned. I wanted to have the kid's potty trained, and maybe… I don't know… I had this fantasy of them possibly even being in kindergarten when this happened."

"Well, I'd hope they'd be potty trained by the time they went to kindergarten." Edward playfully teased after grazing the side of my face with his fingertips. "We've got Mrs. Coupe, she's going to be thrilled over the news, too. Believe me! She's been asking me for weeks when we would be adding on to our little tribe. Wait until Alice finds out her joke was actually more of a fact!"

_Shit, Alice._

"No! We can't tell her. She's been trying; they've been wanting a baby for so long… this might really upset her. Let's hold off on making any big announcements for a little while, okay?"

My best friend was already dealing with enough upset in her life when it came to things not going as planned. The last thing I wanted to do was give her a reason to start powdering her nose again with designer drugs because I'd gotten myself knocked up without even trying… again… while on birth control.

"We can't tell _anyone_?"

"No! No one! Not even your mom, or Charlie. This information does not leave this bathroom. Understood?"

He faked a pout, and then reluctantly nodded his head as he pulled me back into his arms for a gentle hug.

"This certainly turned our day around didn't it?"

"This day has been insane, so it makes perfect sense that I'd add this to the top of everything else that's happened since I've opened my eyes this morning."

Edward laughed again and then turned me around in his arms to guide me back out into our bedroom. "You should rest."

"Why, because I have something the size of a bean growing in my belly? Please! I've got way too much to do, and besides... if I lay here and do nothing, I'll drive myself nuts thinking about what this really factually means."

He smiled and nodded before making his way across the room to open our curtains. "As you wish, Care Bear."

I pointed my finger at him, and narrowed my eyes. "You have to behave! If you're all giddy, Garrett's going to know something up."

"Fine, I'll behave, but, was there anything else that happened with Jake this afternoon? Anything you need to fill me in on before I get back to work? I don't want him hassling you about his relationship. Especially now. He needs to understand that you have enough going on, you don't need his problems piling onto you."

There was no way I could tell him about Jake's little cyber discovery. That would ruin his mood, and I wanted him to enjoy some happiness for at least a little while longer.

"No, nothing else. I really don't think we'll be hearing from him for at least a few days. When Jake sets his mind to something, it's usually an all or nothing mission." I reminded my husband with a forced smile.

"Ha! You don't have to remind me. I know all too well about Jake and his persistence."

Edward leaned in to plant a soft kiss at my forehead and ran his hand gently across my hip to place it over my belly. "Now, you behave in there. Let your mommy get some work done so she won't stress herself out." He whispered after kneeling down before me. I smiled watching him interact with my midsection and then let out a light laugh.

"You're insane. I can't be more than a few weeks along, you nut. It hasn't even developed its ears yet."

"Never too early to fall in love all over again. You've made me a very happy man this afternoon, Bella Cullen. I've got some stuff to take care of but I'll wrap it up and let you get some work done with your pencils and then you and I are going to just lay in bed until it's time to head over to Charlie for dinner."

Honestly, all I wanted to do was sleep right now, but he was right, I should get some sketching done, and then we could enjoy a nice nap together with a quiet house while the twins were still with their fairy grandmother.

Today might have started off terribly wrong, and then it might have taken a turn for a possible worst, but now… now I was feeling a little bit better. I was ready for whatever our future had in store for us, because with Edward by my side, I would always and forever, truly believe that we could handle anything.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Surprised?**

**Quite a few of you had already questioned me about Bella's uterus and if something could be going on in there, haha. **

**So was Edward being honest? Will this pregnancy be stress free and smooth sailing for Bella, or was he just putting a positive spin on things to help settle her anxiety? Only time will tell. **

**Thoughts on Jake's little cyber discovery? Is Bella right about James, or could it have been someone else? **

**I'd love to hear from you!**

***Reviews make me smile***

**(And reviewers will also get a little something from EPOV in their inbox as thanks.)**


	21. Two Plus Three Plus

_Disclaimer: Twilight and its original characters belong to SM. No copy-right infringement is intended with the posting of this story._

**A/N: Hi there, and thanks so much for returning. My lap top has been fighting a wicked virus for the last month and a half so writing, replying to reviews, and posting has proven to be very difficult. I've literally lost hair from all the stress! What I've decided to do is just post the outtake from the last chapter onto my TMF blog since I can't reply to more than a few reviews a day before my computer starts to go to crap with a fury of pop-ups. I hope you all understand my situation and don't hold it against me that it's been a while since my last update. Enough 'blah-blah-blah'... I'm just glad you're back if you are indeed reading this. :) **

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><p><strong>Two Plus Three Plus...<strong>

**Chapter 21**

**~*Bella*~**

Two day's had passed since our life altering pregnancy surprise. This, of course, meant we were nearing the farewell that would take us back to our home in sunny California, just in time for my birthday. Garrett had flown back yesterday morning, and Edward had been with me and the twins every hour of every day, since he'd finished up with his final table read a few nights ago.

Things with the paps had seemingly calmed down, but I also hadn't ventured far from our penthouse, since my random 'all day' sickness had taken effect. We would have our first 'non official' appointment with Dr. Young today, the same doctor who had delivered the twins two years ago.

Edward and I had planned on bringing them with us for the happy reunion, but at the moment I was having second and third thoughts.

"Momma! Aidan hurt me!" It was Maddie, and she was now yelping over and over again from the doorway of their bedroom at the top of her tiny lungs.

I let out a sigh and quickly finished getting myself dressed before heading down the hall to find out what the current problem was. Edward was in his office taking his one conference call of the day with James, and their assistants, so I was in go mode all on my own trying to get the three of us ready to leave and out the door on time.

By the time I got to the twin's room, they'd both, thankfully, settled down. Aidan was in the corner trying to stack his tiny Peter Pan board books, and Maddie had apparently gotten into her dress up closet. She was now standing stark naked before its opened doors tugging at her Aurora costume, unable to remove it from its hanger.

"Let me help you, baby." I removed the dress for my daughter, and then walked over to her dresser to get a fresh pair of panties from the drawer before helping her slip the gown on over her head. She let out a tiny squeal, and I felt my smile double as I watched her playfully twirl around the room while also carefully avoiding her twin brother.

"I wear mommy? Say yes. To the point-ment! I wear it."

I smirked, realizing just how much she sounded like her older sister, asking me a question first, and then prompting me with the answer she wanted to hear.

"If you promise to come home and take a good nap after mommy's appointment, then yes. You can wear your princess dress out today."

Aidan looked up for a moment, and I half expected to hear him also request some ridiculous outfit, but he remained silent and instead turned his back further to us to continue with his apparent construction project.

I frowned, realizing that he actually hadn't spoken a single word to me all morning.

"Aidan? What are you building? Can I play, too?"

He briefly looked, but still said nothing. I took it upon myself to sit down beside him and brush his auburn hair from his eyes. "It looks like someone is going to need a haircut when we get back home." I gently whispered, praying it wouldn't set him off. He hated to have his hair cut. You would have thought he felt every snip deep within his bones the way he'd react sometimes, which was why I'd let it grow out as much as I had.

When I tried to take a book from his pile he quickly snatched it from my hand and re-positioned himself, so I'd be unable to easily interact with him.

"That's not nice, my little Prince. Mommy wants to play, too."

I carefully scooted myself over to be seated in front of him again and he let out a loud, "No! No!" before scooping all of his books up into his arms to carry them towards the other side of the room. I instantly let out a frustrated sigh, feeling too tired to try and press the matter with him. He was obviously not in the mood, and I in turn, was not in the mood to deal with one of his masterful terrible-two's tantrums.

"How's it going in here? Is everyone almost ready?" Edward questioned with a smile after sticking his head in.

"Yup, they're dressed, I'm dressed, and the diaper bag is packed. Maddie insists she can be a big girl and wear panties out, so we shall see." I replied with a forced smirk.

"And are we going as Aurora to mommy's appointment, Princess Maddie?"

Our little girl stopped playing in her kitchen long enough to look up and smile before responding, "Yes, daddy."

"Very well, I'll call down and have the doorman get us a cab. Meet you up front in five minutes." He shot me a wink and I felt the familiar butterflies in the pit of my belly do an easy somersault, causing my cheeks to flush. He grinned, obviously having picked up on the effect he still had on me when it came to his casual flirtatious glances.

"You look gorgeous today, Care Bear." I waved my hand in the air, playfully shooing him out of the room so I could get the twins shoes on and then let out a happy sigh.

Things were good.

I was still happy.

We were still happy.

Life was changing, but for some crazy reason, I was feeling much more at ease about it.

About all of it.

Thankfully, Dr. Young's office was in a building that was also home to many other different businesses, so even if we were seen going in, or coming out, it could have been for numerous reasons. When we pulled up, however, it looked as though the coast was clear and we'd have no problems heading inside without any flash photography at our heels.

That was a huge relief because I really wasn't looking forward to dealing with obnoxious camera vultures when we had the kids with us. That could wait until we were back in L.A. where it was as common as seeing the smog in the city sky-line.

Edward insisted there was nothing new floating around with our names attached to any headlines, but I also knew better than to believe he'd tell me anything until we saw what was actually going on inside of my uterus today.

The elevator ride up was quiet. Even the twins seemed to suddenly settle down in their double stroller once the doors shut with a loud clank. In order to break the silence, I softly joked with Edward that maybe they remembered having been here while they were still growing in my belly. He smirked in response and gently pulled me in under his arm to kiss the top of my head. The last time we'd seen Dr. Young… it had been at my first art show here in Manhattan, just after the birth of the twins. I couldn't wait for her to see how big they'd both gotten.

The second we walked into the bright office we were greeted by several familiar faces. Everyone seemed both surprised, but also ecstatic to see us.

"Oh, my goodness! Look at you guys!" Monica, my favorite nurse, exclaimed after kneeling down to say hello to Maddie and Aidan. "You look great, Bella! What are you doing here? Are you guys expecting again?"

Even though we'd come prepared for these questions, my planned responses had apparently flown right out the hypothetical window.

Edward and I locked eyes for a moment, and he must have seen the panic in my stare because he instantly took it upon himself to speak up and answer her questions.

"We were in town visiting, so we just thought we'd come in and say hello to Dr. Young. We spoke yesterday, so she should be expecting us."

"Um, yeah, and I missed my yearly appointment back home last month, so I figured I'd just go ahead and get that taken care of as well, you know, with my favorite 'Lady Parts Doctor' and all." I quickly added on, flawlessly sounding like a complete moron.

We'd both agreed it would be best to keep things on the down low while visiting today. As much as I loved the staff here, you never knew who would fall to the temptations of earning some quick and fast cash with a simple quote, as an anonymous 'in-side' source, over the phone to a scumbag 'journalist'.

"Oh, that's too bad. The two of you make such gorgeous children! Maybe someday, though?"

I smiled and nodded my head, "Yup. Maybe someday." I felt Edwards palm as it began rubbing large circles across the swell of my back. The motion of his hand instantly relaxed my jittered nerves when Monica instructed us to follow her on back to the exam room.

"You know the drill. Fancy paper dress, and saddle up. I'll let Dr. Young know you're here, and she will be right with you. If the twins get restless, we just put in a play area in back by the bathrooms."

I thanked her politely and took the stiff, unflattering, folded 'gown' from her extended hands. In that same moment Aidan let out a loud yelp, but when I turned to look down at him he was still busy playing with my iPhone, seemingly unaware of anything else going on around him. That's when I realized he'd barely looked up from the damn thing for more than a few seconds since we'd arrived at the office.

"Can you try to take that away from him? I don't want Dr. Young witnessing that we're one of _those_ parents."

Edward looked up from where he was removing Maddie from the stroller and smirked in my direction before kneeling down to address our son. I watched on as he attempted to pry the electronic device from his strong little hands, and felt my stress level begin to elevate when it became apparent that Aidan was determined to put up a fight.

And just as his tantrum began, Dr. Young came into the examination room.

"Oh wow! Now that's a healthy set of lungs! Hello to you, too, Baby A!" she teased as she walked towards my husband to kneel down and say hi to the twins.

"Bella, Edward, they are gorgeous! I can't even believe they're two years old already! Where has the time gone?"

I forced a smile and took in a deep breath, praying it would calm my nerves. We could possibly be seeing the next member of our family, for the very first time, and hearing its tiny heartbeat, for the very first time, within the next couple of minutes. That realization had quickly brought all of my anxiety back up to the surface again, and my breakfast was now threatening to also come back up and say hello.

"Doctor. Time for a check-up?" Maddie questioned with a serious expression on her face after lifting her princess dress up to expose her tan belly.

Dr. Young laughed and picked up my daughter to hold her in her arms. She poked her nose with her index finger and kissed her cheek, "Not your turn today, Princess Madison. Today, its mommy's turn for a check-up."

My daughter turned to look at me, and with her eyes wide in wonder, she let out a contagious giggle, "Mommy funny dress!"

I laughed in response and carefully smoothed my paper gown further down in front of me after blowing her a quick kiss. "It's the latest fashion, my love!" I instantly teased while I watched the doctor hand Maddie back over to her daddies opened arms.

"So, why don't you fill me in on what's been going on. I know when we talked yesterday, you asked that I keep things between just us here in the office, so that's why I didn't have Monica do a pregnancy test. Are you sure you're pregnant? I mean there's no reason to prod you with my magic wand otherwise."

I smiled and nodded, "Yes. I've peed on six sticks in the last two days and they've all been positive. The puking would also lead me to believe that, once again, I'm indeed knocked up… though, I have to admit, I'm praying for a singleton this time."

With the completion of that last sentence I laughed nervously and began picking at the side of my uncomfortable paper gown, unable to look Dr. Young in the eyes.

"Oh no, well, I'm sure you could do without the dreaded all day sickness, too! Okay, well hop on up and let's take a looksee and see what you've got going on in there."

I followed her cue and forced another smile towards Edward who looked undeniably excited over what we were about to possibly witness. I had to admit, over the last few days the idea of having another little baby to cuddle, and love on… it had become more, and more of a pleasant and welcomed reality. I was holding off, though, on admitting that out loud. It was better to wait until after we'd actually heard the heartbeat and saw our newest little bean on screen before allowing myself to fall in love all over again; like Edward already had.

"Okay, so… since you technically won't be my patient, I won't be putting any of this in your chart. Let's just consider this a catching up visit with some fancy equipment to pass the time while we talk."

"Sounds perfect, we just need to be a little careful right now. No need to give anyone a reason to speak and or print our names in regards to our private life." Edward spoke up just as Dr. Young dimmed the lights in the room.

I took in a deep breath while I watched her lube up the ultrasound probe thingy and felt myself relax a little once Edwards hand braced my shoulder to give it a loving squeeze.

"Close legs, mommy! Be po-lite! You lady!" Maddie instantly reprimanded after the doctor helped me position my feet up into the stirrups. We all laughed together over her very appropriate reaction, but I tried my best to hold it in now that my legs were so awkwardly spread open in front of Dr. Young.

"She's a clever little one, isn't she?"

"Oh, she's a ball of verbal diarrhea at times." Edward instantly joked, not missing a beat. "Aidan is the more silent type. He likes to observe and let his sister direct most things. Typical boy."

"She's got a strong personality, just like someone else I know." I spoke up before turning to smile at my husband. He laughed and nodded his head in agreement.

"Okay, here we go. Let's see how many letters we've got baking this time."

After hearing Dr. Young utter those words, I turned my head to once again focus on the monitor to the left of me. It didn't take her long to find our newest tiny Cullen. Our little tad pole was right there, plain as day, and had even sprouted what looked to be its arms and legs already!

"Good grief! How far along am I?" I spat out without even thinking.

"Well, since you can't recall the exact date of your last period, based on what I'm seeing here, I'd have to guess you're at least eight weeks pregnant, Bella. Congratulations!"

I took in a sharp breath after processing what she'd just said.

Eight weeks meant I was already more than half way finished with my first trimester.

This was good because it also meant my all-day sickness would be over sooner, rather than later.

Eight weeks… I did the math in my head… eight weeks meant we would be having a Spring baby.

I wouldn't have to endure another tedious, insanely hot summer doubling as a beached whale in constant discomfort.

All in all, this was actually excellent news!

"There's just the one, then?" Edward asked, sounding a bit disappointed, which earned him a swift glare and swat from me.

"Yup, looks like lightening did not strike twice. One little baby created by the two of you. Let's hear the heart beat, shall we?"

I nodded, already feeling relieved that we would indeed only be having one this time. Raising twins was a special life reward, but it was the type of reward that should only be given out once in a lifetime.

The moment the soft thumps invaded my ear drums, I felt my own heart explode with happiness. Edward leaned down and kissed my forehead as he laced his fingers between my own to give my hand a gentle squeeze.

"That's the most amazing sound in the world, Care Bear. Thank you for giving me… for giving our family this truly amazing gift."

Words failed me after I'd looked up into his eyes, but I nodded in response, just as a single happy tear slid down my cheek.

"What that, Momma?" Maddie suddenly questioned, her eyes looking at the monitor in absolute wonder, and confusion.

"That's a surprise, sweetie." I carefully answered, not wanting to initiate the 'new baby' conversation too soon. The last thing we'd need is her telling everyone there's a baby in my belly before we ourselves were ready to share the news.

"It's a hippo?"

We all laughed at her innocent, yet very appropriate observation, and then Dr. Young began printing out a few ultrasound photos for us to take home.

"Well, you two, I guess I'll keep my fingers crossed that you'll go into labor when you're visiting again, so I can have the honor of bringing another gorgeous Cullen into the world, but until then you get yourself a good doctor out there in California. How are things with your ex? Should I be concerned?"

I took in a deep breath and thought her question over for a few seconds. Things had certainly changed for the better, but a part of me couldn't help but feel as though we may be experiencing a return in chaos when it came to Jake in the very near future.

"We're good. He's expecting his own baby in a few months. He's engaged to his physical therapist. She's really a great girl." I decided it was best to keep things short and sweet in hopes that it would prevent any further follow up questions.

"Excellent. I'm glad to hear you've been able to put everything behind you and move on from all of that ugly stuff in your shared past. Hopefully the tabloids will back off too, so you won't have to relive any of that nonsense during this pregnancy. By the way, Mr. Cullen, congrats to you! Big time movie star now, 'ay?"

Edwards cheeks flushed for a moment and he shifted his weight nervously under his feet, "Not really big time just yet, but we'll see what happens. Obviously my priorities remain with my family, and making sure Bella is well taken care of during the next eight months."

Dr. Young grinned and nodded her head, "That's the exact response I was hoping to hear from you." She shot my husband a wink from her eye and squeezed his arm before giving his back a firm pat.

I'd been thinking the same thing all week, worrying about the gossip that would start to fly once it did get out that I was expecting, but only time would tell how the next few months would go. I knew eventually people would get bored with the story, regardless of what else trickled out, but that didn't mean it was something I wanted to deal with. It only meant it was something I might_ have_ to deal with.

She handed Edward the photos, and he quickly removed his wallet from his back pocket to store the black and white images for safe keeping.

"It was wonderful to see the family again. I hope Princess Bree is doing well?" The doctor questioned as I got myself changed back into my street clothes.

"She's amazing, I'll tell her you said hello." Edward swiftly replied. I watched him glance over at our son who was still sitting silently in the stroller picking at the rubber on his sippy cup and felt myself frown. He'd barely made a sound during our entire visit, which really wasn't like him at all.

"Very good, hopefully the next time you guys are in the town you can bring her by the office. Take care of this family of yours, Mr. Cullen, Doctors orders. I know you've got a lot on your plate now, yes admittedly, I've seen the headlines, but I know you'll manage to juggle everything just fine." Dr. Young lectured while giving Edward another firm pat on his back. He grinned and nodded his head as she made her way across the small room to give me a gentle hug. "Be well, Bella. If you need anything at all, you have my number, and don't ever hesitate to call." She whispered beside my ear. I smiled and promised I would be in touch, even if only to say hello.

Once Edward had the twins buckled up in their stroller, we made our way out of the office without causing too much of a scene, which was good, because I wasn't sure I'd be able to keep a straight face if anyone questioned us about what we were doing there.

"And then there were six."

I smiled up at Edward, and felt my toes curl over the amount of love I found pouring from his eyes as he looked down into mine.

"Holy crap, we're going to be a family of six." I mumbled softly, feeling a bit lightheaded all of the sudden. He leaned in to gently kiss my lips and brushed the side of my face with the back of his hand. "It's a good thing you're rocking the movie star income now in order to feed and house all of us." I playfully teased, as he leaned in to kiss me once more.

"I never thought I'd hear you say something positive about my so-called movie star status." He toyed, pulling my body in up against his. "And I hope you do realize we don't need that income. We're still perfectly comfortable with what I have in the bank and what I make at the firm if I had to go back full time."

"Pish-posh. I'm proud of you, you know that, and yes I know we're financially stable without having your name in credits. I'm only teasing you, my love. Just… don't forget all the promises you've made me when I agreed to all of these new life changes." I carefully reminded. The elevator doors opened back up to let us out onto the ground floor, and I began pushing the twins in their stroller to head outside onto the busy Manhattan sidewalk.

"You and our children will always come first. That will never change, but if you ever feel like I'm slacking, I want you to tell me without even giving it a second thought."

I bumped him with my hip and gave him a swift wink from my eye, silently assuring him that I would indeed give him a instant kick in the ass if things started to pile up. Tomorrow we would fly home to California. A part of me was sad to be leaving my real home behind, but I knew we'd be back. In fact, I already had a Thanksgiving trip planned out in my head.

One nice thing about being pregnant… pregnant women get what pregnant women want, when they want it. And if I wanted to get away for a few days to fly back to my more familiar surroundings, I knew Edward would make it happen.

* * *

><p>After landing in California, and driving home, we found Jane's car already parked and waiting for us at the beach house. I was absolutely certain she'd been anticipating the moment she'd be able to drop Bree off, thus giving herself a break from her daughter's daily theatrics. So really, it was no surprise to see her leaping from the car before we'd even parked the SUV beside them.<p>

"It's a good thing we dropped my mom off, or this wouldn't have gone over very well." Edward mumbled more to himself than to anyone else.

Jane and Esme had experienced a minor falling out a few months ago when she'd come with me to drop Bree off at her moms. We'd caught a man scrambling out the back gate to bolt down the street into his parked car, and apparently that hadn't sat well with Esme. I'd certainly enjoyed watching her go off on his ex, though. It was nice to see her actually look embarrassed for once over her obvious inability to remain faithful to the woman she was married to.

As soon as I saw Bree twirling around under the bright sun in her rainbow colored tutu, I felt an instant smile spread across my face.

"It's crazy we survived an entire summer without her because just being away for a week feels like an eternity." I admitted out loud, creating a huge smirk on my husband's face.

"You have no idea how happy it makes me to hear you say that. I've missed her, too."

Once the car was in park, I removed myself from the passenger seat and ran to give my stepdaughter a giant hug… even though I knew she'd prefer a simple hello paired with a light shoulder squeeze from my hand.

"I missed you!"

"Missed you, too Momma Bella! Was the city fine? Was everything still spectacular?" Bree questioned without looking me in the eyes.

"What was that?" I prompted with a smirk, cueing her to find my eyes. She let out a huff and slowly lifted her chin to lock her stare with my own and repeated her questions once again.

"The city was wonderful, but certainly not as spectacular since you weren't there with us." I replied after taking her hand into mine to give it a firm squeeze.

"Next time, I will join you. It will be arranged, because I do not need school. No, I need my family."

Her statement made me smile again, but I wasn't sure how to reply. Her mom would never let her miss more than two days from school, and I had no idea when we'd be going back again. It was never a good idea to promise Bree something unless you knew for sure it was a promise that could and would be kept. She bottled up those promises and always stored them deep into her long term memory for safe keeping.

That's when Bree's mom cleared her throat from where she stood a few feet away. I turned to look and offered my best smile. "Hello, Jane."

"Hey, Bella, did you have a nice trip?"

"Yeah, it was great… all things considered." I carelessly replied a bit too honestly.

She smirked, and I instantly knew she was well aware of what I was referring to.

"Your ex is a piece of work. I don't envy you at all on that front."

_Huh… wonder what she does envy?_

"It was a giant misunderstanding. His fiancé is having a rough time juggling her pregnancy hormones." I didn't know why I was trying to explain anything to her. It certainly wasn't any of her business. I stood myself up from where I'd been kneeling before Bree and began pulling my hair up into a pony tail, while I tried to think of something else to say. Thankfully, Edward appeared beside us with the twins in his arms, saving us from any further awkward silence.

Bree was already standing on her toes reaching for Maddie and Aidan's hands before twirling herself around us, "Hello, my daddy! Hello, my little sister, and my little brother! Let us play now!" As Edward bent down to set them on their feet Bree suddenly stopped spinning and turned to face me. Her eyes were set straight on my belly and a slow smile spread on her face.

_No-way-in-hell._

"Momma Bella! You have a surprise! Is it one or two surprises? I think one."

I just stood there absolutely dumbfounded, unable to utter a single syllable let alone coherent words. My eyes quickly jetted over to Edward, but he looked just as taken aback and offered no kind of verbal response. Jane had her hands crossed in front of her with a single eyebrow raised upward into a high arch.

I laughed nervously and rubbed my hand at the top of my stepdaughters head, "We brought you lots of surprises, even a chocolate pastry from your favorite bakery." I finally managed to get out.

Unfortunately, Bree wasn't going to let this go.

"No. I cannot eat this surprise… yes, it is in your belly… yes… but you did not eat it either. Daddy, tell Momma Bella she cannot eat this surprise. You do not eat babies' silly!"

"Holy shit! Are you pregnant again?" Jane finally blurted out with a surprising laugh.

I looked over at Edward and saw him instantly clear the impulsive smirk from his face, right before shrugging his shoulders in defeat.

"It appears my first born has a gift, Bella. What can I say?" he playfully questioned as he closed the gap between us to drape his arm over my rigid shoulder. "No one else knows, Jane. Bella's only eight weeks along. We'd appreciate it if you kept this between us for now."

"Wow, I guess I should say congrats. I didn't even know you guys were trying."

_And even if we were trying, why the hell would we tell you? _

It always amazed me how Jane would still, to this day, act as if she were a part of our everyday lives when she'd clearly taken it upon herself to start distancing her own everyday life from ours after I'd finally called her out on her unhealthy promiscuous ways.

"We weren't. Bree was right when she said it was a surprise." Edward informed his ex before running his hand through his oldest daughter's hair at the top of her head.

"I always know. I knew the last time, too. I know everything. It's what's called a fact, and so I know lots of facts. That's why I know everything." Bree instantly declared, sounding rather proud of herself.

I laughed at her more than adequate statement and then kneeled back down in front of her, so we would be eye level with one another. She needed to understand that this really was a secret, a secret that we couldn't share with anyone else for the time being.

That would be a hard concept for her to follow, and I understood that.

I took her hands into mine and brought them up to my cheeks so she would be cupping my face. This would help her look me in the eyes as I tried to explain why we couldn't tell anyone else right now that soon she would be getting a new baby brother, or sister.

"I am listening. You can speak, Momma Bella."

She always knew we meant business when we would take the time to establish eye contact before opening our mouths.

"You can't tell anyone just yet, okay? We want to make it a big surprise for everyone all at once. We will plan a special party and you can help me pick out all of the decorations, and plan the menu. Sound good?"

Bree cracked a short lived smile and firmly nodded her head three times, "I can help. Yes. This WILL be magnificent. It WILL be spectacular! I would like to play with my brother and sister who are not in your belly right now. Let us go inside please."

I laughed and pulled her in for another hug, even though I knew there was a possibility it might set her off. "I love you so much! I can't wait to plan our party together." I whispered beside her ear, then quickly released her from my arms to let her escape. She said nothing else; instead she took Aidan and Maddie by their hands and began walking them towards the front door.

"Well, I guess that's that. We'll have to wait and see... I mean, she did keep it a secret that Maddie was actually a girl, and not a boy the last time, so there's a good chance she can keep quiet about this for a little while." I shared with a forced smile as I stood myself back up.

Edward grinned and shot me a wink from his eye before turning to direct his attention back onto Jane. "Seriously, you repeat none of this to anyone until I tell you it's okay. Understood?"

"Yup, whatever you guys want. I'll pick Bree up tomorrow afternoon for her therapy appointment since she has her re-evaluation with her speech and occupational therapists, and then I'll have her back for dinner. You still want her for the whole week, right?"

A part of me hated how much their relationship had changed. When I'd first met Jane, they seemed to get along so well… more like lifelong best friends, and not two people who had actually been in love at one point.

So much had changed though over the last few years. A part of me wondered how much I had to do with all of that. Especially since before me, Edward tended to fall back into bed with his ex, rather randomly, whenever she felt the need to crave cock and snap her fingers to get it.

Deep down, I knew the bigger falling out had actually happened when Jane had tried to take Bree to India with her. Edward fought her tooth and nail over that, and ultimately we'd won, but not without consequence when it came to the relationship Jane and Edward still had.

Fortunately, now that Tanya and Jane had moved back to the states for good, things seemed to be settling down, but I knew better than to think it would last. Nothing good ever seemed to stay… good… especially when it came to the people we both shared a past with.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: That little Bree... she's a very special little soul, isn't she? For those who forgot, Bree also knew Bella was pregnant with the twins before Edward had found out... she was actually the one who told her dad before Bella had gotten the chance to in TMT. She's got a gift. ;)**

**Thanks again for coming back and reading! Next chapter is 50% written, but I can't offer any extra's as a thank you for leaving me your thoughts since I'm not sure if my laptop will be nice and allow me to reply to reviews. I'd LOVE to hear from you though because your reviews are whats kept me from just giving up when all this computer virus stuff started.**

**Don't forget the outtake from the last chapter can be found on the TMF blog. There's a link in the TMF section of my FFN profile. **

**Till next time!**


	22. Make Art Not War

_**Disclaimer: Twilight and its original characters belong to SM. No copyright infringement is intended with the posting of this story. **_

_**A/N: Hi, and happy 2015! Who wants to take a guess at what my New Years Resolution was? I'll give you a hint; It has everything to do with this story and getting it completed within the next few months! Woot! Major thanks to my ever fabulous beta, myonlyheroin. I'm so so lucky to have her. Even when she doesn't hear from me for weeks at a time and I suddenly pop back into her crazy busy life with a new chapter to beta, she's always there ready to help! **_

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><p><strong>Chapter 22<strong>

**Make Art Not War**

**~~~*Bella*~~~**

I was out back with the twins, watching them play in the sand below our deck, while attempting to get some legit doodle time in before lunch. It was a gorgeous Friday afternoon. Not a cloud in the sky and a nice ocean breeze in the air. A breeze that would without a doubt leave me with a serious case of hurricane hair once it was time to venture back inside.

The smell of salty sea water seemed much more profound this afternoon. It had only taken me all morning to realize that was thanks to the baby I currently had growing in my belly. One of the many perks of pregnancy; smelling anything, and everything in ways that at times could leave me feeling like a damn bloodhound on the verge of hugging a toilet bowl.

Edward was busy in his office reviewing his script, but he'd promised to come join us once Jane dropped Bree off after her therapy appointment so we could all eat lunch together as a family.

Our perfectly-imperfect princess had already forced her birth mother to text about me an hour ago.

She'd wanted to remind me that I would need a special notebook when she arrived so we'd be able to start planning our top-secret party for her newest sibling's big reveal.

I was smiling to myself, thinking about all the details we would have to cover, just as I spotted Alice skipping down her stairs from her own deck to head our way.

I took in a deep breath, in an attempt to calm my nerves, and slowly exhaled. Edward had warned me about Alice joking over the idea that I could have been pregnant when she'd heard I'd gotten sick last week while we were in the city. Apparently she'd made a comment that it would be difficult for her to accept the fact that I'd gotten pregnant before her, since they'd been having such a difficult time with conceiving over the last year. Because of this, I'd been purposely avoiding her ever since we'd arrived back to the west coast.

"Hey, you! I'm starting to think you're avoiding me! What's the deal?"

_And apparently she'd caught on._

"Hey! No… no… we've just been really busy since getting back. I have a meeting with Garrett and James tonight to do a walk-through of the new location we will be using for our show. I've been trying to get one more piece done, and the twins have made that a little difficult."

"They seem plenty busy now." She leaned down and planted a firm kiss on my cheek before she took a seat on the step beside me. "That's gorgeous, Bella! Christ, I'd swear it was a photograph and not something you did by hand!"

I smiled and felt my cheeks flush, "Garrett's taught me a lot when Edward doesn't have him running around town. It's really helped my stuff come to life, I think."

"How's he doing?"

"Garrett? He's okay. He hasn't told me much, but he's still staying at Maggie's while she's been out of town filming. I'm sure I'll get more info out of him tonight when it's just us." I quickly replied while bringing my charcoal pencil back down towards the large sketch pad in my lap.

"Well, please make sure he knows he's welcome to crash in our guestroom again until he figures something else out. You know, once Maggie does get back in town. Honest to God, I will not allow him to go back to living in that awful van of his! It's inhumane, and it smells like feet."

I smiled at my best friend and nodded my head. Truth be told, though, I liked his van. It was simple… easy… absent of any and all vanity or real responsibility. Some days I longed for a life like that, but I too didn't like the idea of him sleeping inside of it, especially with winter nights being right around the corner.

"You okay?"

Her question caught me off guard.

I was scrambling to think of anything other than a simple 'yup', which I knew would only trigger more follow up questions in order to probe me for the actual truth.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just thinking about how nice it was to go home again and see Charlie."

The drawing I was currently working on was of my birth father grinning with Bree sitting at the top of his shoulders.

"_Andddddddd _you're still calling the city your home. Love it."

"It will always be my home. You know that, no need to continue pointing out the obvious, A." I snickered under my breath. It annoyed me when she'd tease me about my inability to let go of my safe place.

"Always and forever, just like our friendship, my love."

And just like that, she was able to turn things around again.

I looked up from my sketch and smiled just as her shoulder met mine to give it a soft bump. After glancing up into her eyes, though, I saw something that caused my own eyebrow to raise itself up into a high arch.

My friend was trying desperately to hold something back, but I could instantly tell she was on the verge of exploding.

"And what's up with _you_, Mrs. Hale?"

She looked away playfully and leaned back against the wooden step that was positioned behind her. "I don't know what you're talking about, _Mrs._ Cullen."

I let out a laugh and crossed my arms in front of me. The last time I had seen Alice this giddy was directly after she'd been cast in her first television series.

"Spill it! What's going on? Did you get a new role?"

"Nothing is up, crazy! I'm just having a good day and wanted to come share some of my elated happiness with you. Why do you have to ask so many questions? Can't I just be in a happy mood?"

She was lying, but I wasn't going to press the matter.

As always, when Alice made up her mind about something, it was pointless to try and change it. I noticed her looking past me, over my shoulder, and instantly glanced up towards the house to see what it was that had captured her attention. I saw nothing out of the ordinary, so I turned myself back around to look her in the eyes after crossing my arms in front of me.

"Okay, fine! I think Jasper and I might have a really good chance this month. We eff-ed like wild monkeys on all the right days, and I stood on my head for a good twenty minutes afterwards each time. I'm thinking about taking a test tonight because I swear my boobs are killing me!"

I snorted at my friend's over sharing and then forced a smile.

On impulse I almost touched my own belly before I mentally slapped myself for it.

"That's… wow… that's both impressive and hilarious, Alice. I hope you're right though. I'd love to become an almost auntie this month. It would be a fabulous birthday present."

What else could I say?

'_Oh hey, we could be pregnant buddies then! That would be amazing!' _

Yeah… no.

Not yet.

"Oh shit! Your birthday! Wait… I mean, I didn't forget… it's just… your present hasn't been delivered yet, and it should have been. Actually, I better run back home and give them a call! Hi, Edward! Bye, Edward!"

I felt my mouth drop open over her sudden departure, but she was gone before I could even utter a 'see you later!'

"I swear sometimes I just don't know about that one." Edward toyed once he took my best friends place beside me.

"Something is up, but I'm not sure what. You know Alice."

"Yup… un-diagnosed manic depressive."

I swatted at his arm playful and quietly scolded him for saying not so nice things that could easily be repeated by Maddie if she'd over heard him.

"Jane should be here any minute. I've got everything out for lunch, you guys ready to head back up to the house?" my husband questioned after leaning in to kiss the top of my head.

With a swift nod from my head, I started to put my things away just as Edward leaped down from the step to wrangle the kids and their sand pails so we'd be able to start our much needed quiet family afternoon together.

* * *

><p>The day had easily gotten away from me and before I knew it, I was running extremely late for my meeting with James and Garrett. After rushing like a mad woman to get downtown, I was both surprised and annoyed to see I wasn't the only one running behind.<p>

A woman was one second away from locking the door when I'd stepped up to reach for the handle.

"Well, hi there, Bella. I was just about to lock up. Figured you guys weren't coming." The older woman stated as she eyed me up and down. She had long straight white hair and a warm smile that helped light up her crystal blue eyes. The creases at her temples seemed to age her beyond her years, but she was still very beautiful in a very classic Hollywood kind of way. "You're just as gorgeous in person as you portray in your pieces, Mrs. Swan-Cullen, which is funny, because it's usually the other way around with you artists. Your lot tends to see more beauty in the world… and in yourselves, than is ever actually really there… Especially with self-portraits." She paused to laugh and I forced a smile. "At least that's what I've found over the years. You though… you're just as delicate in real life. Rarity you are, but a pleasant surprise. Come on it, can I get you some water, or a glass of wine while we wait for Master James' and Sir Garrett?"

I smiled again, because I didn't know how else to respond as I silently stood there nodding my head like a fool.

"Silent type, are we? I get that. I do. Oh my! I haven't even introduced myself, have I? I'm just busy blabbing about while I critique your sweet little soul. My name is Renee Moore, I own this little gallery. Have done so for the last three years. It was a farewell gift from my late husband. He died, and suddenly I was in charge of a gallery I didn't even know we owned. He was always one with surprises."

I smiled again after hearing her name.

Renee was my mother's name, so it already held a very special place in my heart and there was something about this woman that slightly reminded me of her.

"It's nice to meet you Mrs. Moore. Thank you so much for letting us use your space for our show." The first time I'd been here with James, Renee hadn't been here. Instead there had been some stuffy, holier than though, art snob who barely said three words to me.

"Please, call me Renee. It's my pleasure to have your work here. We just put in some new wall installations and re-arranged the layout a bit, but I think it will work perfectly for what James has planned."

And as if on cue, the moment his name had left Renee's lips, James and Garrett came walking through the door.

"So sorry we're late, Renee. Traffic was a nightmare."

"Excuses, excuses, I don't have time for them, but I will accept your apology and let you buy me a glass of wine across the street once we're done over here, James darling." Renee teased as she crossed the room to take his hands into hers. I watched her plant a quick kiss on both of his cheeks and stifled a laugh. He let out his own loud obnoxious chuckle and instantly agreed to her request with a nod from his head.

"It's the least I can do. I see you've met Bella."

"I have indeed. Lovely little creature she is. She caught me just as I was about to lock the door and give up and the three of you, but do come in and let me show you what we've done with the space. I think you'll be very pleased, James. I took up all of your suggestions." Renee replied as she linked her arm through my art dealer's. I caught Garrett's eye and offered a short smile and swift nod from my head. In return he threw me a wink, and then slowly began scanning our surroundings with his eyes wide and a smirk on his face.

I could see his excitement and it was slightly contagious.

This would be his first real show… It would be his first big break into the art society of Los Angeles… which could be a bit clique-ish and elite… unless you had the right connections.

We had the right connections.

In a few months, I knew Garrett's life would change drastically. Especially when it came to him being able to do what he loved most, and also make a real living off of it.

As I walked beside my art buddy around the gallery, there were a few pieces displayed on the walls, but nothing really captured my full attention. This artist seemed to have a fairly morbid outlook when it came to their work. Dark chaos was splattered all over several canvases to create one giant image of nothingness which had me easily rolling my eyes.

"I think they slit their wrists and used their own blood to make this, what about you?" Garrett snickered beside my ear creating a short lived smirk across my lips.

"Be nice," I whispered back and then bumped him with my hip before increasing my speed to catch up with James and the gallery owner.

"What? You know you were thinking it too."

"And I was keeping it to myself, which is what most normal people would do." I quickly whispered back then placed my finger in front of my mouth to signal it was time for him to be silent again.

"So, Bella, I was thinking your stuff will go on this side of the room and into the smaller room to the left over there. Garrett, you will be over here to the right. We will take a few of your pieces to hang in the back where the cocktail hour will take place. You two can choose which ones you'd like to use as your teasers, maybe three from each of you? How does that sound, Renee?" James questioned without even glancing at Garrett and I.

"That sounds positively splendid! I can hardly wait to see what you've got in store for us. I've seen prints from your last show in New York, Bella. Amazing work! I loved the story you told, and I'm so excited to meet your imperfect-perfect little family on opening night!"

I smiled and nodded my head, "They'll be the theme for this show as well, since they're my muse on a daily basis, from the moment I open my eyes in the morning, until the moment I close them again at night."

"Perfection! Well then, do you think we have enough wall space, or should I see about adding a few more temporary panels?"

"I think this will be more than enough, Renee. I really love what you've done here. The lighting is so much better. Maric really did a great job re-wiring and I've got to say, the new fixtures are much more aesthetically pleasing on the eyes." James replied as he looked up towards the ceiling and back around the room doing a complete 360 on his feet.

I pulled my phone from my back pocket to check the time. It was almost eight-thirty. Edward would be attempting to get the twins into bed soon and probably wishing I was there any minute now. I smiled to myself and pulled my bottle of ginger-ale out from my purse to take a quick sip.

When I looked over at Garrett he was watching me with a raised brow and another smirk on his face.

"Ginger-Ale? I guess your stomach still bothering you?"

Damn him and his ever observant observations.

"No. I happen to like Ginger-Ale. Is that okay with you?" I quickly grumbled back, then returned the cap to my bottle and stuffed it back into my purse.

He playfully threw his hands up in the air and bowed his head.

"Whatever floats your boat, my lady."

I instantly rolled my eyes and left him where we were standing to continue walking the room. I wanted to get a feel for where my drawings and paintings would be hung. I'd present them in chronological order, just as I had with my first show back in the city. I hadn't made up my mind yet on whether or not I'd be doing any belly portraits this time around, but in the drawings I had completed you could certainly see the changes in the twin's faces.

When I heard James and Renee finishing up, I made my way towards the door where they were now standing closely together. The show would be great and the space would be perfect. This venue was much better than the last gallery James had shown me last month.

"Can you join us for a glass of wine over at the wine bar across the way, Bella?" Renee questioned with a warm smile.

_Wine? _

_No… no wine for you, preggo._

"Of course she can! This is her night out away from her tiny terrors. Come be _normal_ with us, Isabella." James instantly spoke up, answering her before I could even open my mouth.

"Actually, I really should get home. Edward has some work to do, and the twins have been protesting bed time lately." I lied while avoiding their eyes.

"Oh, I remember those days extraordinarily well! I have a pair of boys, they're all grown up now, but boy did they give their father and I a run for our money during their toddler years! Go home to your family, sweet girl! Feel free to stop in any time if you want to go over anything else with me."

"Think you could give me a lift home, Bells? I rode over with James, but I've got a lot of work waiting for me at the house. My van is in the shop getting the heater fixed."

"Sure, no problem."

"Alright fine, abandon us then, but you both better be going home to knock out another completed piece for me. See you at the office in the morning, Garrett."

"Yup, till then, Mr. Nomadio."

I said goodnight and quickly made my way through the front door after Garrett had pushed it open before me. We walked silently down the street to where I had parked the SUV. The heels of my boots tapping with every step I took across the slicked concrete. It had apparently rained for a few seconds while we'd been inside checking out the gallery, so I could only imagine what the humidity was doing to my hair.

"You've been pretty quiet tonight. Is everything okay?" Garrett finally questioned once we'd gotten into the car.

I avoided his stare and nodded, "Yeah, just tired. Same old, same old."

"Gotch'. Mom life and all its everlasting perks."

"Yup, and I wouldn't trade it in for anything… but it would be nice to have like twenty-four hours all to myself, with nobody's needs but my own being a priority. Or better yet, have everything wiped from my mind so I'd have nothing but happy little thoughts dancing around for just half a day." I replied with a sigh before mentally slapping myself for opening my mouth.

I hadn't said anything to anyone, but I'd been becoming more and more concerned with Aidan's quirky behaviors as of late. Edward hadn't seemed to notice, and if he had, he'd kept it to himself, but I wasn't finding it as easy to just brush off. In fact, I'd barely slept the last two nights after my brain would start replaying that day's events with the kids.

"Well, babe, maybe that's what you should ask Edward to give you for your birthday this weekend? A night away on an abandoned island, but don't forget to also ask for the mind erasing machine. That would be imperative."

I glanced over in his direction and raised my brow, "How did you know it's my birthday this weekend?"

"I Google stalked you, remember?"

"Right, right." I applied my foot to the break to slow down and stop at the red light before I pulled my phone up from my lap to check it one more time. Edward must have been managing just fine without me because he hadn't sent me one text since I'd left the house this evening.

"You can actually just take me to Alice's. She invited me over to hang out with her and Jasper tonight instead of sitting all by my lonesome in Maggie's pretentious mansion that mocks me day in, and day out. I just didn't want James to know I wasn't heading home to _work."_

I let out a laugh and shook my head, "You know, you should have more than enough saved up to get your own place now that you've gotten a few pay checks from working with Edward."

"Yeah, the problem's been my shitty credit. No one wants to rent to me unless I have a co-signer."

"Tisk, tisk, Garr-ferret. Sucks being a grown up, doesn't it?" I teased while offering him a short lived smirk that was ended by his phone chiming in his pocket. I saw him pull it out and then heard the huff escape past his lips.

"Looks like I'll be making a little extra money. Edward needs me to come by and help him with a few things."

I frowned feeling more than a little disappointed that I wouldn't be able to talk my husband into snuggling up with me on the couch for the rest of the evening.

"Then I guess this worked out perfectly for you."

I turned into our development and waited for the large gate to swing open as my finger began tapping the top of the steering wheel. My birthday was tomorrow and Edward hadn't mentioned a word about it. I was fairly certain he'd forgotten, what with everything he had going on right now.

Between getting ready for his press tour, and memorizing lines for his next film… it would be totally understandable if he ended up running out with Garrett tonight to buy me some random piece of jewelry and a bouquet of roses with peacock feathers mixed in.

To be honest, there was nothing I needed in my life aside from peace of mind, which was something you couldn't put a price tag on.

If 'more time' and 'less stress' was sold in department stores, I'm sure it would be an item that flew off the shelves and cost thousands.

When we pulled up to the house it looked as though all the lights were off.

This surprised me.

"Edward must be busy in his office." I muttered, more to myself than to Garrett.

"Well, wouldn't that be shocking?" he quickly teased back, "Can I help you with those bags in the back?" he offered after stealing a quick glance behind me.

"Nah, I've got it. It's just art supplies and some craft kits for the kids that I picked up the other day and forgot about."

"Fine, be that way."

I rolled my eyes over Garrett's over-exaggeration, and then reached into the back seat to pull out the bags. Once I'd locked up the car I followed Edward's assistant up the walk way towards the front door.

"Sure would have been nice if _someone_ had turned the light on so I'd be able to see the damn lock." I snickered under my breath as I fiddled with the keys in my barely freed hand.

I heard Garrett stifle a laugh from behind me and quickly turned my head to cast him a look when all of the sudden the lock clicked, signaling that someone had unlocked it from the other side. Garrett's brow raised and he motioned with a nod from his head that that was our cue to enter. Before I could turn around, though, a sea of light flooded the entry way with a loud roar following closely behind, scaring me half to death.

"SURPRISE! Happy Birthday, Bella!"

I took a sudden and unplanned step backwards, instantly falling right into Garrett's waiting arms.

Once I realized what was going on, and where I was, I quickly pushed myself out of his grasp and began scanning the room. Everyone I knew seemed to be standing there looking back at me with smiles on their overly pleased faces. My eyes stopped on Edward's, and I felt my heart explode. My husband had somehow managed to plan all of this without me even catching on to the slightest possibility that he'd been up to something.

"Did you think I'd forget?" He toyed after crossing the room to wrap his arms around me. He leaned in to plant a soft kiss across my lips, and I felt my smile grow against his.

"The thought had crossed my mind. How did you? No wait, WHEN did you? How in the world did you even… how did you get everyone here?! I had no idea! We were just there and no one even… You guys! But I had NO idea! " My words were a jumbled mess, but the room seemed to find that hilarious. I could only imagine how red my face was because my cheeks felt as though they were on fire!

"I had some assistance. Not going to lie, though, it was a little last minute, and mostly Alice's idea… but I helped pull everyone together to get it all done on the down low."

"Thank you, Edward, for giving credit where credit is due!" Alice didn't waste a second to swoop in and attack me with a hug of her own. "Happy birthday, sweetie! Now you know why I was being so odd this afternoon! I had to distract you while Edward let Garrett in with all the decorations."

I laughed and shook my head, "That was you being odd? I thought that was just a typical moment in time with Alice." I teased, earning me a light jab to my shoulder before she hugged me again.

"I wanted to make sure we did something special for you this year."

"Thank you Alice, this is amazing. Charlie! I can't believe you kept this from me!"

I reached out to hug my birth dad and nuzzled my head into his chest as he wrapped his strong arms around me to return the embrace.

"It wasn't easy, kid. You've got me here for the next few days, though, so we've got plenty of time to do all kinds of nothing together during this trip."

"Excellent! Maybe we could even sneak in a salt water fishing trip? Where are the kids? They must have been so excited to see you, and Esme!"

"Edward's got them having a sleep over with your nanny in the guest house tonight. Bree is around here somewhere. She was in charge of keeping the cups stocked on the table so she's probably stationed at her post."

I smiled and nodded, knowing he was more than likely absolutely correct about her whereabouts. Bree always took her jobs very very seriously.

"Well, don't let me keep you. We will have plenty of time over the next few days to discuss politics and religion."

"You're hilarious!" I gave him a playful shove and a quick kiss to his cheek and then skipped back over to Edward to link my arm through his so he could walk the room with me.

"This is crazy. You are crazy!"

"Alice's doing. She's yet to get over her own surprise party, which you threw for her a few years ago before she headed out this way to start her acting career."

He was right.

To this day Alice still talks about that party at least once every few weeks. Mostly because of all the drama and mayhem that had gone down that evening. I liked to believe, though, that it was the nicer moments of her party that outweighed all the not so nice chaos we'd both experienced together.

However, my best friend was all about the drama, so there was truthfully no telling.

After a few hours of non-stop smiling and laughing with my closest friends, I was finally able to sneak away into Edward's office for a breather.

If one more person offered me a glass of wine, or a drink from the bar, I would more than likely… probably… smack them.

You never realized how big of a role alcohol played in your social life until you were pregnant. This is fact, and one of the many facts that came with pregnancy that I hated.

When I heard the door open from behind me I slowly turned myself around with a smirk already on my face and my arms crossed in front of me.

Entirely expecting to find Edward standing there, I was shocked to discover someone else.

"Oh sorry, I was looking for the boss man." Garrett spat out once our eyes met. "You okay?"

I nodded and forced myself to maintain my smile.

Two hours ago all I could think about was getting home to my bed. As sweet as this was for everyone to do, my brain and my eyes were begging for a break from the reality of being pleasantly social.

"I had sleep on my brain before we'd even left the gallery. Don't get me wrong, this is an amazing surprise, but do you think anyone would notice if I just stayed in here and napped for like thirty minutes?" I asked with a short laugh following my words.

"Nah, want me to keep watch for you?"

I rolled my eyes and shook my head in response to his ridiculous offer.

"So, look… I kind of… well… I got you something for your birthday, but it's not really something for everyone else to see just yet. At least that's the vibe I've been getting so I wanted to give it to you in private. Now actually seems like the perfect time. That is if you're really in no rush to get back out there?"

I turned myself back around and crossed my arms in front of me while I tried my best to understand what it was that he was saying.

"You didn't need to get me anything."

"No, I know. I mean I didn't spend any money, so it really isn't a big deal. It's just something I painted for you. I was going to frame it, but I didn't get a chance to run out, since Edward had me driving all over town these last few days. It's actually right over here, I stuck it under his desk this morning when,"

I smiled and began walking towards him. "You stuck it under the desk?" I was laughing eternally now, but within seconds I could see why he'd slid it under there. It was rather large… well the bag he'd stored it in was.

He handed it over to me, and I began to open it so I could pull the thin canvas out to view. Before I could set my eyes on the painting the door swung open again, catching us both by surprise. I was even more surprised to see a very angry looking Alice standing there with her hands on her hips and her eyes narrowed in my direction.

"Am I interrupting something? I can come back."

"What? No, of course you're not. I came in here to clear my head from all the insane excitement. Garrett was just giving me my birthday gift. What's up?"

"You tell me, Bella. I just had a pretty interesting conversation with Bree. Is there something you'd like to share with me? Something a little more than slightly life changing?"

_Bree?_

Every conversation with Bree was interesting so there was really no telling what my best friend could have been talking about.

And then it hit me.

_No. No. No. No! _

"Garrett can you give us a minute?"

"Why? He probably already knows too, since you two are all BFF's these days." Alice immediately snapped back.

"There's nothing he knows that you don't, Alice."

"Really? Well that's an obvious lie. Picture proof right there in your hands!" Her eyes were now set on the piece of art I was still holding, but had yet to glance down at. "So, then that's _not_ a painting of you with Bree resting her hands and pressing her ear over your pregnant stomach? You're having another baby and you didn't even bother telling me, your life long best friend?!" Her words were rushed and her tone uncontrolled. I'd never seen Alice this upset and the sight had caused my body to go completely rigid.

After a few seconds of silence I finally followed her gaze and felt my jaw drop when my eyes finally met the canvas.

"Congrats Bella… really. Better you than me, right? You don't have to say it. I already know that's how you feel. I have to go. I just… You didn't even think… You knew how much… How hard… No, forget it. I just, I just can't be here right now. You win at life, and I'll always be the pathetic loser whose only skill is pretending to be someone else on camera."

Before I could manage to get a single word past my lips, she was out the door slamming it loudly behind her.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I'm sure to some it will seem as though Alice reacted a little too strongly, but if you've ever known someone who had a difficult time conceiving... or maybe it was you yourself... well then her reaction might seem at least a little bit justified. There's a purpose here. I assure you. *wink***

**_*Reviews make me smile*_**

**Like I said, I have it planned out to get this all wrapped up within the next few months so things should start coming fast and furious now. Thank you so much for reading. It truly means the world to me! **


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